


Miraculous Team: Origins

by SonicPossible00



Series: Miraculous Team [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, Multi, Teamwork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-09-25 04:55:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 115,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9803429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicPossible00/pseuds/SonicPossible00
Summary: The world is in peril... after 200 years, the evil Hawk Moth is back. To protect the world, a group of school friends have been chosen to wear the all powerful Miraculous and fight against Hawk Moth and his army of villains.(AU where everyone in Marinette and Adrien's class has a Miraculous. Numerous relationships MarixAdrien, AlyaxNino, JulekaxRose, ChloexSabrina, KimxAlix, IvanxMylène, etc)





	1. The Awakening of Evil

Hey there! So yeah, this a new project from me. Not only it’s a new project, but it’s also my very first Miraculous Ladybug fanfic. This idea came to mind when I was talking to a friend of mine about the show, discussing the fact that every single friend of Marinette and Adrien has been akumatized, and that some of them had some wicked cool powers and all… and then, it hit me! What if the whole class, not just Adrien and Marinette had miraculous that enabled them to transform into superheroes who defend Paris from Hawkmoth? One thing led to another, and well, I quickly came up with this story. Let me warn you that the characters have the same age they have on the show, and some of them have slightly different personalities’, although you will still recognize them, I promise.  Plus, everything takes place in an alternative universe, where there aren’t just 7 Miraculous, and where Hawkmoth is far more powerful, has various kinds of powers and has a different agenda. We’ll start slowly, but as the story progresses we’ll have more action in this, and of course, don’t worry, we’ll have lots of romance, not just between Adrien and Marinette, but also other couples. And now, without further, on with the show.

* * *

 

Chapter 1: The Awakening of Evil

 

It was a warm summer night in Paris. The sun had just set in the horizon, and the black cloak of night would soon plunge the whole city in darkness; a darkness which would be countered by the lights of every street lamp and landmark in that city. One of such landmarks was the Louvre, where this story begins.  

Built in the 12th century to serve as a fortress, the building suffered consecutive changes over the centuries, having served as the residence of the King of France until 1682, when Louis XIV chose the Palace of Versailles as his household. It was its destiny to open as museum in 1793, housing one of the largest collections of art in the world. Among that collection was a statue that had been recently acquired. The museum’s curator had obtained it from a private collector, who left it in his will to the museum. Usually a piece would not be placed for display before being reviewed by a series of specialists, not to mention the museum’s board of administrators, but the collector in question had been a wealthy patron of the museum for nearly four decades. In his will, he had asked for the statue to be on display to the public. Given the importance of the man in question, it was decided that the statue would be unveiled on the day that some of the rooms from the 2nd floor of that part of the Sully Pavilion, which had been closed to the public for renovations the past few months, would reopen.    

As the statue was taken out of the wooden crate where it had been cased, the curator, Mr. Kubdel, observed it and was astounded by its share magnificence. He had only seen pictures of it, and this was the first time his eyes saw the real thing. The photos he had seen did not hold a candle to the true statue. Standing 9 feet tall on top of a pedestal, carved out of pitch black marble stone, the statue was the statue of a tall man dressed in a dress shirt with a butterfly-shaped lapel brooch on the center of the collar and dress pants. In his hands, he was holing a cane. But what made it rather unique was the fact that most his face and neck was cloaked by some sort of mask.

“ _This is a remarkable statue. I’ve never seen anything like it before. The marble from which has been carved is uncanny._ ” -Mr. Kubdel thought to himself, as the moving guys finished taking it out of its crate. –“Be careful with it. We wouldn’t want our newest piece to get damaged.”

“It is a fabulous piece, but who exactly is the man in the statue?” -asked a voice, behind Mr. Kubdel. It was his older son, Jalil. He had finished college that summer, and was now working for his father, as his assistant, as well as working on his doctorate. Like his father, he was passionate by History and its mysteries, although sometimes he would let his taste for crazy and insane theories cloud his judgement; something that his father did not approve, mostly because he believed that as historians, it was their job to present History as it was, and not as it should have or could have been.   

“To tell you the truth, even I don’t know. My expertise is Ancient Egyptian artifacts. The owner of the statue did not leave any kind of documentation regarding it, except for the statue’s name…. Hawkmoth.”

“Hawkmoth? What kind of a name is that for a statue?”

“I don’t know, Jalil, I wasn’t the one who sculpted it. But, perhaps, it has something to do with that butterfly-shaped brooch that has been sculpted on the lapel.” -Mr. Kubdel pointed to the detail in question.  

“You mean, you don’t know?”

“Unfortunately, yes, and like I said, the owner that left us this art piece did not left us with any kind of documents regarding its origin, date or even the identity of its sculptor.” -Mr. Kubdiel insisted on the matter. –“Please, be careful with those crowbars.” -he warned the moving guys.

“And you’re putting it on display, without knowing anything about it?” -Jalil asked his father. He was lightly shocked to hear this, because his father was not the kind of man who would do such a thing.

“Yes, it was one of its owner’s last wishes. It wasn’t exactly my idea either. If it was up to me, this amazing statue would be treated like every other piece that is acquired. But, the order came from the top, and there’s nothing I can do about it. And before you say anything, we still have two weeks before this room is reopened to the public. That will give you enough time to help me research the statue.” -Mr. Kubdel whispered it to his son.

“I see. Well, it would help if we at least knew in what century it was made.” -Jalil said.

“Well, based on the design and clothes, it looks almost contemporary… yet the way the marble has been worked and polished, it seems like it was done in the late 18th century.”

“Then, we have nothing to go on?”

“There is one thing… where did I put it?” -Mr. Kubdel asked himself, as he looked through the papers he had in his hands. –“Here it is. The sculpture isn’t signed, but before they boxed it, they took several photos of it, and on the base of the pedestal, they found this insignia, along with some writing carved on it.”

Showing the photo to Jalil, the young man quickly saw what it was. The writing was clearly Asian, possibly Chinese.

“But dad, my expertise is Ancient Egypt, just like you. I can’t read ancient Chinese.”

“I know that. And that’s why you will be working with the department responsible with for the Ancient China artifacts.” -he said, as he extended him the photo with the writings.

“But why me? Couldn’t you ask someone else who’s already an expert in ancient Chinese to do this instead?” –“Jalil protested. –“How am I supposed to continue my own work on that mysterious tablet if I’m doing this?”

“Jalil, that can wait. This, on the other hand, cannot.” -Mr. Kubdel raised his voice, a little annoyed with his son’s behavior. The mysterious tablet in question was an ancient stone tablet which depicted some unknown figures, previously unknown to any Egyptologist, found during some excavations in Luxor a few years prior. Jalil had becomes obsessed with this artifact, since it was made known to the public. He began researching it during his last year in college, and now, he had begun researching and examining it, as part of his doctorate.    

“Dad, I’m not a kid anymore! You can’t just ask me to drop what I’m doing, to do something else. I have responsibilities!”

“I’m not treating you like a kid. I’m treating you like a responsible adult, who was ordered to do something his superior asked him to.” -Mr. Kubdel said, not caring if the moving guys who were still busy moving the statue heard their argument. –“You asked me to let you work here, so you could continue your research for your doctorate, and I allowed you to do so. But I expect you to fulfil your duties, when asked to. Let me remind you that I am your father and you owe me the same kind of respect that I owe you for being my son, but furthermore, I am your boss, and if you work for me, you must show me the respect my position is entitled to. Do I make myself clear?”

If there was one thing Jalil hated about having his own father as his boss, was the fact that he had to respect him for being his father, but also for being his boss. Still, he had promised himself and his mother that he would not argue with his father, and he was determined to keep his word on the matter. Sighing in defeat, he said:

“Yes, sir. I’ll get started on it, first thing in the morning.” -he said, trying to sound mildly amused by the task in hands.

“Excellent!” -Mr. Kubdel smiled. –“Now, I think we should get going, or we’ll be late for dinner, and you know how your mother is.”

“I do, believe me.”

* * *

After giving some final instructions to the moving team, reminding them that when they finished, they should place a sheet on top of the statue, and that if they needed anything, the security guards would help them, Mr. Kubdel and Jalil bid them until tomorrow and left. As they left the museum, and made their way to the Jardin des Tuileries, Mr. Kubdel asked:

“Have you talked to your sister today? I tried calling her, but I’m afraid she didn’t answer. She must be having too much fun to even answer her phone.”

“Not today yet.” -Jalil answered. –“But yesterday I did talk to her. She had just finished in first in a rollerblade racing competition against one of her classmates, saying that, and I quote her, _practically mopped up the floor with his face._ ” -he laughed, regarding his sister’s words.

“She really loves to skate… I just wished she would sometimes behave more lady-like.” –Mr. Kubdel sighed. He loved his daughter Alix as she was, but like any good father, he also wished she would act a little more like the way he had envisioned her when she was older.

“She will, eventually.” -Jalil laughed. –“ _Although with Alix, eventually might be a couple of days from now, or a couple of decades from now._ ” -he smirked to himself.

“That’s all we can hope for, truth be told.” -Mr.Kubdel said, as entered the Jardin, which was now pretty much deserted, with the exception of a couple of tourists hanging around. –“It will be good to have her back from vacation in just a few days.”

“I’ll say. I can’t believe that she’s been at that holiday camp for nearly two months now.” -Jalil said. –“ _I miss Alix and her antics._ ” -he thought to himself.

“I, myself, can’t believe that the summer is practically in the end, and with it, the beginning of the new school year for your sister…” -Mr. Kubdel said, as he imagined the expenses he and his wife would have with Alix’s schoolbooks and other materials, when he heard a cellphone ringing. It was his son’s.  

“Speaking of the devil…” -Jalil said, as he checked his phone. His sister had sent him a photo over the phone. It was a selfie of hers, with some of her friends in the background, all making funny faces. Beneath the photo he read “ _It’s karaoke night, bro!_ ”–“Guess she’s enjoying herself, dad.” -he said, making his father smile.

* * *

Soon after Mr. Kubdel and Jalil left, the moving crew hurried up to clean up everything, to call it a day. When they finally swept the last bit of Styrofoam, and settled the statue in the middle of the room like they had been asked to, they called the security guard to lock the room and escort them out of the building. As the room’s door was locked, a deadly silence settled in.

Hours went by and that same silence that had settled in that room, had extended itself to the rest of the museum, broken by the occasional echoing of the footsteps of one of the security guards patrolling the corridors. Inside the room where the statue entitled Hawkmoth was, as the Moon rose in the sky, the moonlight slowly began to illuminate it, piercing the room’s glass dome. If one happened to be locked inside that room, it would have seen how the moonlight seemed to almost grant the statues an eerie look, making them look as if they were alive. But, on that particular night, if a person would have stayed in that room, it would have seen something that would haunt it for the rest of its life.

When the moonlight focused on the Hawkmoth statue the black marble started to glow as if by magic. At first, it was just a light glow, but as seconds turned into minutes, the glow became stronger, until the whole statue looked like a lightbulb. The light which emanated from it quickly caught the eye of those who were passing by the museum and saw a ray of light coming out of the building itself. Inside, the light also alerted the security guards, who saw it coming from beneath the door, tried to open the door. Still, when they tried to open it, the lock did not budge. Forcing it, they turned the key once, twice, even thrice, but the lock did not open. Eventually, and after forcing it, the key snapped and broke. On top of that, the glow coming from the room seemed to get brighter each second went by. Contacting the security room to see what was going on, they were told that they not know, that the cameras were all just picking static and nothing more.

Not taking any chances, the four security guards quickly sounded the alarm, before trying to enter the room. Pulling it, the alarm siren echoed throughout the building. For the first time in almost 40 years, the security alarms sounded inside the walls of the Louvre, one of the biggest museums in the world, and probably the safest and most heavily guarded building in Paris, apart from certain governmental buildings. It would be a matter of minutes before every police officer in Paris arrived on scene. Still, they were not going to wait for them to show up. Whatever was happening in that room, they needed to know. For all they knew it could be a terrorist attack, and if there was the chance to stop it, they had to do it. Grabbing their stun guns, and holding them in position, they signaled to each other that they were going to try and break the door open by kicking it.

Gaining balance, the four men kicked the door open and immediately were blinded by the glow. The light emanating from the statue was so bright that one could almost say that it was as bright as the Sun itself.

But, what happened next, was something none of them would ever forget. Due to the incredible glow that blinded them, the security guards did not see it, but they heard it, the sound of something cracking. And what was cracking was the glowing statue. Little by little, cracks appeared on the statue’s surface; and then… there was a loud explosion, which knocked them out.

From the four security guards, only one of them was not put unconscious by the blast. Opening his eyes, he tried to ignore the loud buzzing in his head, courtesy of the explosion. He felt his head spinning, as he tried to move his head to the sides and see just what had happened. The room looked like a disaster zone; if there any paintings or works of art adorning the walls, they had been reduced to rubble or ashes. The floor was filled with all kinds of debris, but mainly plaster, glass and rocks. The man immediately assumed that it had been a bomb which went off, but the trouble was the smell… he did not smell any kind of explosives or accelerants in the air. And then, he saw him. About 10 meters from where he was, there was a tall man looking at him. He was wearing a dark purple dress shirt with a black butterfly-shaped lapel on the center of the collar, and black dress pants. In his hands, he was holding a dark indigo cane. But the thing that jumped at first sight about him, was that most his face and neck were covered by a silver mask; that, and his eyes, his deep icy blue eyes.  

“You!!! What date is it?!” -the strange man asked, pointing his cane at the security guard.

“D-Date?” -the security guard asked, not understanding if the man in front of him was real, or just an hallucination from either bumping his head on the floor, or whatever blew up inside that room moments before, that caused that room to look the way it did.

“Yes, the date! What year is it and where are we?” -the man insisted on the matter. From the tone of his voice, the security guard understood that he was growing impatient.

“I-I-It’s 2-2017... and t-this is the L-Louvre…” -the security guard stuttered.

“2017?! Louvre?!” -the mysterious man exclaimed, before he let out an evil laugh. –“Finally, after 200 years, I’m finally free!”

“W-Who are you?!” -the security guard stuttered, realizing the –“W-Who ever y-you are, you’ll have a lot to answer about, when the p-police gets here…” -he said, as he tried to stand up on his feet.

Lifting his cane, the mysterious man once more pointed it in the direction of the security guard. In the same moment, the cane started to give an otherworldly glow, and the security guard started to rise in the air. Trying to move, he found himself unable to move an inch, as the mysterious man approached him, always with his cane pointed at him. Closing in on his face, he whispered: 

“I, am Hawk Moth, the future master and ruler of this world.” -he said with a cold and malevolent voice. –“And you, my friend, are about to forget what you just saw. Forget and sleep… Sleep now…”

“What do you…” -the security guard, just as Hawk Moth waved his left hand in front of his eyes, making him feel extremely sleepy. In a matter of seconds, he was unconscious and Hawk Moth just let him fall on the ground.   

“And now, time to make my exit. I do not wish for the authorities to know of my return… at least, not just yet.” -Hawk Moth thought to himself, as he turned heel, facing interior of the room.

Knocking his cane on the ground twice, his whole body began to glow with a purple aura, before transforming into a swarm of black butterflies, which quickly exited through the broken dome and flew into the night sky. When another team of security guards arrived at the scene, accompanied by the police, they found their colleagues passed out and the room looking like a war zone. The officer in charge, Lt. Roger Raincomprix looked at what was in front of him, and the only thing he said was:

“What happened here?!”   

* * *

The swarm of black butterflies kept flying into the night, moving further away from the Louvre. Making its way towards south of the city, the swarm started to descend while flying over Montparnasse Cemetery. Landing right next to the statue of the Spirit of Eternal Sleep, the swarm reassembled itself into Hawk Moth.

“So… this is Paris in the 21st century?” -Hawk Moth mused to himself. –“The city has changed a lot in two centuries. I hardly recognize most of it.” -he admitted, not having recognized most landmarks he saw, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Montparnasse Tower, among others. –“Still, there are things that haven’t changed… the human emotions. Fear, anger, disgust, horror, envy, pride, rage… all of them. Those remain unchanged and untamed, like the human nature. I can feel them in each inhabitant of this city… exactly what I need, to assemble myself a new army of loyal warriors. I dare to say, that I see limitless possibilities in my grasp.” -he smiled wickedly. –“Soon, everyone will remember why they feared the shadows, and more importantly, they will remember why they feared the name of Hawk Moth.”  


	2. Summer's End

**Chapter 2: Summer’s End**

 

It had been a wonderful summer. Two months in a holiday camp near the city of Marseille was exactly what the doctor ordered for the students of Collège François Dupont. After a long and hard school year, every student in that school dreamed of only one thing… holidays. Among those students, were the students from Miss Bustier’s class. They were no better than the rest of the other students; nor worse than them for any matter. In fact, they were what one would call normal, if one asked. Normal, regular children.

But, the truth was that they were anything but regular children. They were the chosen ones… the ones who would save the world from the clutches of the forces of evil; they just did not know it yet.     

Their story, their real story as it would later be known, started on their last week in the holiday camp. On that particular Monday morning, Marinette Dupain-Cheng had been the first from her class to get up and get ready for breakfast. This was a little unusual, because Marinette was known for being a heavy sleeper, and it was custom for one of her friends to wake her up. As she ate her breakfast, she also checked her cellphone for any texts from her parents.

“ _Can’t believe it’s only a couple of more days for me to see mom and dad again._ ” -Marinette mused to herself. Her parents initially did not want to let her take that trip to the holiday camp, but after begging them countless times, they finally agreed to let her go with the rest of the class. –“ _I miss them so much… and I miss the smell of dad’s cookies too. These here are good, but they don’t hold a candle to the ones he bakes._ ” -she thought, as she grabbed one of the chocolate chip cookies from the plate that was in front of her.  

“Morning, Marinette!” -she was called back to reality by someone who sat to her left on the table. It was her best friend, Alya Cesaire. They knew each other since they were 3 years old, and had been the best of friends ever since. In fact, Alya spent so much time at Marinette’s home, that her parents already considered her like a second daughter. Alya went as far as calling Marinette “her sister from another mother”, something that Marinette loved, because it had a nice ring to it.   

“Oh, morning Alya.” -Marinette smiled at her.

“You okay? You usually don’t get up this early. Couldn’t sleep?” –Alya asked her, as she grabbed a croissant from the huge pile of delicious treats that were on the table.  

“A little…” -Marinette yawned.

“Don’t tell me you’re having more dreams with Adrien…” -Alya teased her friend, as she nibbled the croissant

“Don’t say that out loud!” -Marinette hushed her. –“I don’t want anyone to know.”

“Know about what, girl? That you’re in love with the cutest boy in school?” -Alya asked her in a whisper.

“Y-Yes…” -Marinette waved her head.

“Marinette… We’ve been through this.” -Alya sighed, as she placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder. –“You need to tell him that you like him. I mean, he won’t know if you don’t tell him.”

“I know, I know, I know… but I’m waiting for the right moment.” -Marinette sighed, suddenly losing her appetite. Every time Adrien Agreste became the main theme of conversation, the girl lost her focus. Sometimes, when talking about him, or just thinking about him, she felt like Superman when exposed to a piece of Kryptonite.  

“And that moment will be when? When summer ends and we’re back in school? Girl, you have to do it before we go back to Paris, or you’ll spend another school year sighing over him.”

“I know, but what if he tells me that I’m not his type? What if he’s not interested in me? What if he only sees me as a friend?” -Marinette panicked, while thinking about the numerous possibilities of Adrien not liking her, the way she liked him. The boy was really her Kryptonite.

“Look, I know you’re really shy when it comes to Adrien, but you have to gain courage and tell him what you feel. Otherwise, Chloe will end up snagging him from under your nose one of these days, and you know that I’m right.”

“Look, let’s just talk about something else, okay?” -Marinette said, trying to change the subject. –“Like, what are we going to do this afternoon?” -she smiled.

“Oh no, girl, you’re not giving me the slip on this matter.” -Alya looked her in the eyes, determined to convince Marinette about what she should do regarding her crush on Adrien. –“Marinette, you’ve been sighing for him ever since he was transferred to our school, and this can’t go on. You’ve got to tell him what you really feel about him, otherwise, you’re going to end up getting sick, and I’m not letting that happen to my best friend.”

Hearing her say that, Marinette smiled, thinking of how lucky she was for having such a great friend in Alya.

“You really don’t give up on me, do you?” -Marinette asked, smiling tenderly at her friend.

“Never.” -Alya waved her head, smiling back at her. –“And you know what? You’re going to tell Adrien about your feelings for him, tonight.”

“Tonight?!” -Marinette nearly fell from her chair when Alya said that. –“Don’t you think that’s a little too soon? I mean, I need to think what I’m going to tell him… I can’t just

“There you go again, girl…” -Alya sighed, as she saw her friend panicking. Grabbing Marinette’s hands, she looked her in the eyes and said: “Sometimes, you have to just go with the flow. Besides tonight is the perfect time, given what we have planned, remember?”

“Remember what?” -a voice was heard from behind them. Turning around, Alya saw their friend, Mylene Haprèle, smiling at them.

“Oh, good morning Mylene!” -Marinette smiled at her.

“Good morning to both of you too, girls.” -Mylene smiled. –“But, tell me, remember what? What were you talking about?”

“Oh, I was just reminding Marinette that tonight is the night that we’re all going camping in the woods, free from any adult supervision!” -Alya exclaimed, with a decidedly wicked voice, while letting out a fake evil laugh. She also winked an eye at Marinette as a way to say “ _We’ll continue this conversation later, okay?_ ”     

* * *

The day went by fast. Though they spent most of it filled with all kinds of activities, the whole class still managed to gather the strength to do the one thing they’d been waiting to do for more than two weeks, camping a night in the woods, just them. Having asked permission to do so to their teachers, as well as the camp’s counsellors. The sun would soon set in the horizon, as the 14 kids made their way into the woods. Nino Lahiffe, the class’s clown and party guy as he liked to be called had found the perfect place for their soirée a few days before, and was now leading his friends to that very same place.

“Come on, everyone! We’re almost there!”

“You’ve been saying that for like 15 minutes already, Nino.” -Adrien joked around with his best friend.   

“It’s not my fault you and the other slowpokes are so slow, man.” -Nino said. –“here, let me give you hand, man.” -he said, as he extended his hand to Adrien and helped him climb over a small rock.

“Thanks… I just hope you don’t kill us of exhaustion before we get there, though.”

“What are you talking about? You’re in great shape.” -Nino told him.

“I don’t think Adrien is talking about himself… I think he’s talking about the girls.” -Ivan said, as he approached them. Because of his bulky stature, he was a little puffy from all that walk; although the main reason for that was that he had been playing football most of the day, and weariness that was starting to get the better of him.

“Speak for yourself, Ivan. I’m not the least tired!” -a voice said coming from the bushes. It was Alix, who as always had energy to spare.

“Well, I am…” -a second voice was heard coming for the bushes. It was Max. Being the nerd he was, Max was more of an indoor guy. –“… I still can’t believe you guys convinced me to come along, when I could have stayed back at the camp and participate on the Ultimate Mecha Strike III tournament.”

“Don’t be lie that, Max.” -Nino said.

“Yeah, you’ll have fun, even without videogames.” -Adrien declared.

“They’re right. You will.” -Ivan said. –“But regarding what I was saying before, I was actually thinking about…”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” -a yell was heard a little far from where they were.

“About Chloé?” -Nino asked, finishing Ivan’s sentence.

“Believe it or not, yeah, I was actually talking about her.” -Ivan said, a little surprised by how his commentary coincided with one of Chloé’s screams.

“I wonder what happened that made her scream like that?” -Adrien asked, slightly worried.

“Who knows? This is Chloé we’re talking about.” -Max said.

“Knowing her, she probably ripped one of her designer’s jeans, or got mud on her shoes.” -Alix laughed.

And Alix was absolutely right when she said that. Chloé Bourgeois had had the unfortunate luck of nearly falling on the ground, near a mud hole. Luckily, she did not fell in it, but her expensive boots weren’t so lucky, and were now covered in mud.

“My Gucci boots, they’re ruined!” -Chloe exclaimed, as she tried to remove the mud from them.

“They don’t look so bad, Chloé.” -Sabrina told her. –“I’m sure you can get most of the mud stains from them.”

“You’re kidding, right? These are genuine leather… the stains will never come out, Sabrina, and you know it!” -Chloé kept cursing about her bad luck.

“Well, then you shouldn’t have brought them with you I the first place.” –Alya said, as she passed by her.

“Yeah, you should have brought regular hiking-boots, like the rest of us.” -

“And waste a good opportunity to look fabulous? I don’t think so… you won’t ever see Chloé Bourgeois dressed with nothing but the best!” -the blonde bragged herself.   

“What’s the use of looking fabulous in the middle of the woods?” -Mylene asked her.

“And besides, did you really have to ask Sabrina to carry half your stuff? Couldn’t you do it yourself?” -Marinette asked her, as she looked at how tired Sabrina looked

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Marinette. Sabrina doesn’t mind helping me, do you, Sabrina?” -Chloé smiled at the redhead.

“N-Nope, I don’t mind at all.” -Sabrina said, as she struggled to carry her backpack and Chloé’s, who as always, had filled it with all kinds of unnecessary things for a night in the woods.

“Hey, would you guys hurry up?! We still have a little ground to cover before we get there.” -someone said. Coming from behind the bushes, it was Nino who came back to see if everything was okay with them; and given Chloé’s complaints, he saw there was no need to worry.

“You said this would be quick a walk, Nino.” -Alya told him.

“Okay, maybe I didn’t have in account that I’m faster than most of you.” -Nino said. –“But still, you could move a little faster too… where are Nathaniel, Kim, Rose and Juleka?”

“They were behind us just a few minutes ago,” -Sabrina said.

“I bet Nathaniel stopped to draw something in that sketchbook of his, while Kim is off goofing like he always does, and those two girls probably stopped to catch some flowers…” -Nino said. –“I’ll go see if I can find them. In the meantime, you girls go on.”

Alya was about to say something, but Nino disappeared before she could say it. Sighing, she signalled the Mylene, Marinette, Chloé and Sabrina to move forward.

“Come on, Sabrina, put your back into it.” -Chloé ordered Sabrina, as she started to walk.

“Coming, Chloé.” -Sabrina huffed, as she followed the blonde.

Mylene also decided to keep going, to join the rest of the class. She was already about 10 meters up ahead, when she noticed that neither Alya nor Marinette were following her. Turning around, she saw her friends, where she had left them just a few seconds before.  

“You’re not coming?!” -Mylene asked Marinette and Alya.

“Oh, we’re going to stay behind a little, so Nino and the others don’t end up lost.” -Alya told her. –“Don’t worry, we’ll catch up to you in a jiffy.”

“Okay. See you in a bit.” -Mylene said, as she restarted walking.  

Alya and Marinette stayed behind, not because of Nino and the others, but because Alya wanted to talk alone to Marinette, without anyone eavesdropping on them. They had not been able to talk much after breakfast regarding on what Marinette was to do that night, and that was the best chance they had. Still, Marinette was starting to have second thoughts on Alya’s plan.

“Look, I know you’re just trying to help me, Alya, but…” -Marinette hesitated.

“No buts, Marinette. You have to tell Adrien what you really think about him.” -Alya told her.

“But, don’t you think I should do that, you know, alone, with no one else around?” -the blue-haired girl asked.

“Maybe, but you know how you act when you’re around him. I think the safest way for you to do that is if someone is with you… Look, I’ll just give you a push, and then you do the rest.” -Alya declared.

“But do you even have a plan?” -Marinette raised her eyebrow, suspicious that Alya was just planning things as she went along.  

“Sure, I do… in fact, Nino is going to help us.” -Alya smiled triumphantly.

“He is?” -Marinette asked.

“Yes, you’ll see… that is, if he can find the rest of our friends…” -Alya said. –“Trust me, I’ve got everything under control, girl.”   

* * *

After a few mishaps, the whole gang arrived to the place Nino told them about. It was a small glade with tall pine trees around it, and a lake nearby. Gathering in its centre, they made a large bonfire near a few old tree logs that were there and settled their tents in a circle, around it. When they finished settling in, night had settled in and the only noises one heard was the summer breeze blowing and the crickets singing, only interrupted by the loud comments from one of the teenagers.

For dinner, they had sandwiches. As for dessert, they decided to roast marshmallows. As the white fluffy treats roasted in the blazing flames, the whole group talked among themselves about what they had done that morning, and what their plans for their lasts days there were.

“I still have to try canoeing.” -Nathaniel said, as he sketched yet another drawing on his sketchbook.

“You mean, you still haven’t tried it?” -Kim asked.

“Nope.” -Nathaniel answered.

“But we’ve been here for almost two months now. How could you have not tried canoeing?” –Kim asked him.

“I don’t know… I just never felt like doing it, that’s all.” -Nathaniel shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s what you get for spending most of your days drawing.” -Mylene chuckled. –“You can’t be in two places at the same time. By the way, what are you drawing now?” -she asked. Mylene loved Nathaniel’s drawings and she liked when he shared them with his friends.

“Oh, it’s nothing really… it’s just something that I dreamed about these last few days.” -Nathaniel said, as he placed a few last details on his sketch.

“Show us!” -Marinette said.

“Nah, it’s not really that good.” -Nathaniel said.

“Come on, don’t be like that. Your drawings are always awesome.” -Marinette insisted.

“Yeah, she’s right. Come on, show us, Nathaniel.” –Mylene waved her head.

“Alright, if you guys insist…” -Nathaniel sighed.

“It better not be a dirty drawing of one of us girls, you hear me?” -Chloé warned him with her usual snobbish voice.

“Don’t be like that, Chloé!” -Alix shot at her. She hated when Chloé talked like that. –“Come on, show us, Nathaniel.” -she said.

Flipping his sketchbook, he showed his friends his drawing. At first, they did not understand what it was, and thought it was some sort of a rock. Only upon close inspection did they figured it was a hooded figure of some sort.

“So, you dream of hooded figures?” -Nino asked him, puzzled.

“Not exactly… I’ve been having this dream where this figure appears. It keeps trying to tell me something, but I wake up just before it starts to speak.” -Nathaniel said. –“But, like I said, it’s just something I see in my dreams.”

“Well, my favourite dream right now is the one where this summer never ends, and we get to stay on vacation forever.” -Nino playfully joked, making some of the others laugh.   

But, not everyone was sad that their vacation was nearly at the end. Adrien had had the best summer vacation of his life with his friends, but he missed his father, Gabriel Agreste.

“Well, I for one I’m happy to go back to Paris next week. I want to spend my last few vacation days with my dad before we go back to school, and he has to go back to work.”

“I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to spend a few days with my parents too.” -Kim said. –“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love hanging around with you guys, but…”

“We know, family is family.” -Rose said. She had been quiet most of the time, with her friend Juleka beside her. Both girls had been friends ever since they met 4 years before, but during this summer their friendship became stronger, and they grew closer to one another. –“There is no shame in admitting you’re homesick.”

“Marshmallows are done, everyone!” -Sabrina said, as she started to take them from the sticks they had been roasting in and placed them on a bowl they had brought with them.

For a few minutes, no one talked. They were all too busy munching on the yummy marshmallows to say anything. If there was one thing true about camping, it was that a bonfire and some roasted marshmallows made all the difference, when it came to making such a regular camping night into a memorable memory. When they were only two marshmallows left in the bowl, Juleka and Chloé grabbed them, but not for themselves. Juleka gave it to Rose, who thanked her by giving her a little kiss on the cheek, making the goth girl blush lightly. As for Chloé, she gave hers to Sabrina.

“Here, you can have it, Sabrina.” -Chloé said, as she handed her the sweet treat.

“Really? Thanks, Chloé.” -Sabina smiled.

“Oh, it’s the least I could do after you carried my backpack, and assembled out tent.” -the blonde smiled.

Seeing that, Marinette smiled and thought to herself:

“ _Why can’t Chloé be that nice all the time? If she was like that, everyone would love to hang out around her._ ”

* * *

They went on mingling with each other through the night, when Alya felt that they were all relaxed for her to put her plan to make Marinette tall Adrien what she felt for him, in motion. Signalling Nino, the two of them went inside her tent, where she told him how they were going to do what she had planned. Nino did not see himself as a matchmaker, but being Adrien’s best friend and knowing that the blond also had a tiny secret crush on Marinette, which he had been sworn never to tell anyone, he felt it was his duty to help Alya with that.

The plan was simple. They were going to play charades in pairs, and the two of them were going to make sure that Marinette and Adrien would be each other’s pair. Alya scribbled everyone’s name in little pieces of paper, and then used Nino’s cap to make the draw. They paired up Max with Kim, Ivan with Mylene, Alix with Juleka, Rose with Nathaniel, Chloé with Sabrina, and finally, Adrien with Marinette, having decided that Nino and herself would sit this one down, serving as judges.

“Alright, who wants to go first?” -Nino asked.       


	3. Underwater Cave

**Chapter 3: Underwater Cave**

 

The charade game went for almost an hour, and though there some initial complaints from Chloé, who wanted to be paired up with Adrien, everything went on without further hitches. During the game, and just like Alya had predicted, Marinette got the chance to interact further with Adrien. They talked, and laughed and made fools of themselves. One could say that everything went according to the plan. Still, it did not. The two of them had a great time together, especially when it was their turn to play. But neither Marinette, nor Adrien confessed their true feelings for one another.

Already in her tent, Marinette cursed herself for not being able to tell him the truth.

“ _I can’t believe this… Alya came up with the perfect plan, and I couldn’t do it…_ ” -she thought to herself. –“ _I must be cursed or something. I mean, what kind of a girl am I, who isn’t even able to tell the boy she loves that she loves him?!_ ”

“Marinette? Marinette? Are you asleep?” -Alya asked her.

“No…” -Marinette sighed.

“Still thinking about Adrien, aren’t you?”

“I am…” -she sighed. –“Alya, I’m sorry… I screwed up everything with Adrien, after you and Nino had all the trouble to pair me up with him.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. Come on, at least you talked to him instead of just being there, stuttering like an idiot, like you always do. Plus, you got to know a few things about him, and he got to know some things about you.” -Alya tried to cheer her up. –“I see that as a good thing.”

“But I still couldn’t tell him what I really feel for him.” -Marinette pouted.

“Oh, you will. Look at it this way. The next time you talk to him, you can use what you talked about today as an ice breaker.”

“You always know how to cheer me up.” -Marinette smiled.  

“Hey, I’ve known you for so long that it’s like my fulltime job.” -Alya chuckled. –“Besides, without me, you would be lost.”

“That I know.” -Marinette chuckled, as she agreed with her friend. –“You’re my guardian angel.”

“Angel? Nah, girl, I see myself as a sneaky fox, who happens to know what to say and when to say it.” -Alya giggled.

Back in Adrien and Nino’s tent, the same thing was going on, but instead of having a girl cursing her luck, needing to be cheered up, you had a boy cursing his luck, in need of some cheering up.

“Nino, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, bro. Go ahead.”

“Have you ever been in love? And I mean, really in love with a person that initially you thought it was just a tiny crush, but as time went by that crush became stronger and stronger, till the point that you think you can’t live without seeing her every day?”

“Of course, And to me, that girl’s name is Alya Cesaire.” -Nino admitted. He and Alya had been secretly dating each other since the beginning of the summer, when they told each other how they really felt for one another. Still, instead of just telling everyone they were a thing, they decided to keep the secret to themselves a little while longer. Nino had only told Adrien about this, while Alya had shared the good news with Marinette. –“And in your case, I would say that the girl who has you like this is none other than Marinette Dupain-Cheng, am I right?”

“Am I that transparent?” -Adrien chuckled.

“Nope, but you do talk during your sleep, after eating either nachos or chocolates.” -Nino joked. –“Why don’t you just tell her how you feel?”

“But what if she doesn’t, you know, like me?” -Adrien said. The doubt was just eating him from the inside.

“Well, is she doesn’t like you, you always have Chloé.” -Nino joked.

“Don’t joke!” Adrien threw the first thing he saw, one of his sneakers, at Nino, who grabbed it, while laughing –“Chloé and I are just friends… sure, she’s pretty, and the Mayor’s daughter, but she’s not my type.” -he admitted. –“Come on, be serious, do you think Marinette would like me?”

“Are you kidding, Adrien? You’re like the handsomest guy in our school, you’re a model who spends most of his free time modelling for your dad’s fashion house, you’re nice, and you’re funny when you loosen yourself up. I mean, what kind of girl wouldn’t think that you’re her type?”-Nino told him. –“Believe me, a ton of guys would sell their soul to be in your shoes.”

“Would you?” -Adrien asked him.

“Nope, but that’s because I love my style, and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.” -Nino chuckled. –“But seriously, you’ve got to tell her how you feel. You won’t know if she likes you, if you don’t tell her.” -he said, already knowing that Marinette liked Adrien, thanks to Alya’s gossiping.

“You’re right, I have to do it.” -Adrien said, as he stretched his arms. –“But, do you think I have any chances with Marinette? I mean, Alya’s her best friend, and you date her… did she ever tell you anything about Marinette liking me, or not?”

“Sorry, bro, but I’m afraid Alya doesn’t talk to me about those things. You know how girls are. They keep secrets to themselves that no man will ever find out, unless they want to.”

“Girls sure are a strange species.” -Adrien said. –“Anyways, we better get some sleep.”

“In a moment, just have to check the news on my cell phone.”

“You got an Internet reception here?”

“How do you think I convinced Max to come with us? You know he won’t go anywhere without knowing if he can access the Internet.” -Nino chuckled, as he checked the news. –“Dull… dull… already knew that… Holy mackerel!”

“What is it?” -Adrien asked.

“Chloé’s dad is on the news, and so is Sabrina’s dad!” -Nino exclaimed. –“Looks like the Louvre has been attacked by terrorists.”

“Terrorists?!” -Adrien exclaimed.

“Yeah, at least that’s what they’re saying.” -Nino said. –“They’re talking about an explosion in the Sully Pavilion, but they’re not saying anything else about it, except that there are no mortal victims.”

“Do you think we should, you know, wake up the others and tell them?” -Adrien asked him.

“Nah, we’ll do that in the morning. Everyone’s already asleep. There’s no need to wake them up because of this.” -Nino said.

“You’re right. But believe me. After hearing that, I’m not getting any sleep.”

“Just try, okay? We’ve got to get back to camp by lunch, and that means, we have to get up early.” -Nino said, as he turned off his cell phone, and got ready to sleep.

“Okay, I’ll try. Night, Nino.” -Adrien said, as he closed his eyes.

“Yeah, pleasant dreams to you too, Adrien.” -Nino said, as he turned off the lamp.

* * *

It was around 2 in the morning when something made the earth shake beneath them. Waking up by that sudden shake, everyone thought that they were witnessing an earthquake taking place. But suddenly, the earth stopped shaking. With their hearts still beating like crazy in their chests, the kids all came out of their tents to see what had happened.

“Is everyone alright?!” -Kim asked as he came out of his tent.

“I think so…” -Juleka said. –“Are you okay, Rose?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” -Rose assured her.

After a few moments, everyone was out of their tents, trying to calm themselves down and figure out what happened.

“It must have been an earthquake.” -Alya said.

“Are you sure? It felt more like something hit the ground pretty hard.” -Sabrina said.

“If that would be the case, and I’m not saying it isn’t, then what we felt was an impact tremor.” -Max explained.

“Earthquake or impact tremor, doesn’t really matter, if we’re all okay.” -Alya said.

“Alya’s right. But, maybe we should call Miss Bustier and tell her that we’re all right.” -Marinette suggested.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible… I’ve got no cell reception.” -Max declared, after checking it.

“Me neither…” -Chloé said, as she also checked her cell phone. –“What good is a 500 Euros cell phone, if it doesn’t pick up reception in the middle of nowhere?!”

“Chloé, we aren’t in the middle of nowhere.” -Alya said sarcastically.

“Look, it’s not the end of the world. We’re alright. Nobody’s hurt, and that’s good. As long as we stay together and don’t go wandering in the dark, we’ll be fine.” -Kim told them.

“Kim’s right. We just have to stay calm.” -Alix agreed.

But, Alix had not even finished her sentence, when Ivan saw something that caught his attention.

“Hey! What’s happening there?!” -he pointed out to the lake.

At first it felt like it was an illusion, but the truth was that the water seemed to be bubbling. Moved by curiosity, the whole gang decided to investigate. The water was really bubbling, like someone had turned on an air valve like in a jacuzzi. And on top of it all, something seemed to be glowing in the water.

“What’s going on?” -Rose asked, as she looked at the water.

“I have no idea…” -Sabrina said

“What do you think is causing the water to bubble like that?” -Nathaniel asked.

“Maybe it’s an asteroid. That would explain why the water’s bubbling… still, where’s the steam?” -Max asked.

“What steam?” -Alya asked.

“Well, if an asteroid fell from the sky, it should’ve been blazing hot, and when entering the water, this one would start to boil and we would have steam coming out of it, right?” -Max theorized.

“And that would also explain the sudden earthquake, or impact tremor, or whatever that we felt.” -Marinette said.

“But there’s no steam, and the water is cold…” -Sabrina said, as she kneeled and touched the cold water.

“In that case, we can all just assume that it was an earthquake.” -Kim said.

“But then, what’s making the water bubble and glow?” -Juleka pointed out. The water was indeed glowing, but it was a faint glow, like when someone placed a lightbulb inside the water.  

“There’s another possibility.” -Max said, which made everyone look at him. –“There are numerous caves in this region, some of them, underwater. Not only that, there are air and gas pockets deep underground. An earthquake could easily break one of those pockets and release its contents into the water.”    

“That’s a more suitable and rational explanation for what’s happening with the water here.” -Alya said. –“But what about the glow then?”

“I’m afraid that that part I can’t really explain.” -Max said.

“Well there’s only one way to find out. We can dive and see where the glow’s coming from.” -Adrien suggested.

“I’ll go then.”

“Hold on, Ivan, I was just kidding.” -Adrien told him. –“I don’t think it’s safe to go inside the water right now.”

“Maybe we should just all go back to our tents and try to get some sleep.” -Rose suggested.

“After this earthquake, I don’t think any of us will get any sleep, and we’re going to spend all night asking ourselves why the lake’s like this.” -Ivan said.

“Wait, don’t go, Ivan.” -Mylene begged him. –“Adrien’s, right. It could be dangerous.”

“Don’t worry, Mylene. I’m just going to dive and see what’s making the water do this.” -Ivan assured her.

“But what if the thing that’s making the water bubble is toxic? You heard what Max said…” -Nino told him. –“We shouldn’t go anywhere near it.”

“Look, I won’t be in the water for more than a minute or two. Plus, if I start feeling sick, I’ll come out of the water in that instant.” -Ivan assured him. –“Besides, you guys got my back.”

Taking off his clothes, Ivan was left with nothing but his boxer-shorts. Smiling to the others he entered the water very slowly. Just like they had noticed, the water was bubbling, but it was cold. Soon, the water covered everything up until his neck. Taking a few deep breaths, he dove to find out what was causing that eerie glow inside the lake. Outside the water, the rest of his friends were starting to feel guilty for not having stopped him from going inside the lake. For all they knew, whatever was making the water bubble and glow could be dangerous.

“We shouldn’t have let him do this.” -Marinette said.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine.” -Nino told her.

“But what if he doesn’t? What if it’s in the water is toxic and makes him sick? What if he starts feeling sick while underwater and drowns?!” -Marinette said, already coming up with the worst possible scenarios in her head.  

“Marinette, calm down.” -Alya told her, as she placed her arm around her shoulders. –“Ivan’s going to be alright. You’ll see.” -she smiled, trying to calm her.

Seconds went by and there was no sign of Ivan. The whole class started to panic, with Kim and Adrien saying that they were going in to see if their friend was alright, when suddenly, Ivan surfaced. Gasping for air, he waved at his friends on the shore and said:

“Guys!” -Ivan exclaimed, as he gasped for air. –“Guys, you got to see this!”

“See what?! Are you alright, Ivan?!” -Mylene asked, worried about him.  

“I’m okay, just breathless!” -he said, as he started swimming back to the shore.

“What did you see?” -Alix asked.

“I found out why the lake water’s bubbling and why it’s also glowing.” -he said, as he got out of the water.

“Then, what’s the reason? Come on, don’t keep us in suspense!” -Chloé practically demanded an answer from him.

“Okay, you guys got to see it for yourselves. The glow that we’re seeing here is coming from a cave, a cave made of nothing but crystals!” -he exclaimed, still not entirely believing what he had seen.

“Crystal cave? Where?” -Adrien asked.

“About 20 meters from where that small rock is… that one over there,” -he pointed to it. -“After we get there, we dive and swim for like 10 meters or so, before we see the cave’s entrance.” -Ivan explained. –“I went inside and when you enter it, there’s a huge air-pocket filled with all kinds of crystals. It’s amazing!”  

“What about the bubbling?” -Nathaniel asked.

“There were some cracks on the bottom of the lake. I think Max was right and the earthquake did crack open a gas pocket.” -Ivan said. –“But who cares about that? You guys got to see this cave with your own eyes! It’s like something that came out of a dream!”

“This, I got to see…” -Kim said, as he removed his shirt. –“Last one in the water is a rotten egg!”

“Hey, how are we supposed to go inside the water? We didn’t bring any swimsuits with us!” -Chloé protested.

“We don’t need swimsuits to do this! Our underwear is good enough for that!” -Kim said, as he took off his shoes.

“It’s easy for you guys to say that, but we’re girls.” -Alix told him.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to let something like that stop you from seeing something amazing?” -Kim asked them.

“No!” -Alya said. –“Come on, if Ivan says it’s amazing, then I’m going to see it.”

“Me too!” -Marinette said. –“I’m going with you, Alya.”

Little by little, everyone joined Alya and Marinette. Chloé was the last to undress, a little against he will, but she ended up doing it, because she did not want to stay out there alone, while the rest of her friends went into the water.

“Okay, before we go in, does everyone around here know how to swim?” -Kim asked, to which everyone waved their heads.

“I can’t open my eyes underwater.” -Rose pointed out.

“Me neither!” -Sabrina exclaimed. –“My eyes are too sensitive.”

“Then, maybe you should wait here.” -Max said, as he took off his shirt.

“Nonsense! We can guide them while underwater. They just need to hold someone’s hand while we’re diving.” -Chloé said. –“Come on, Sabrina, you can trust me to get you there safely. Give me your hand.”

“Thanks, Chloé.” -Sabrina smiled.

“Don’t worry, Rose, I won’t let you drown.” -Juleka smile, as she grabbed Rose’s hand.

“Thanks, Juleka.” -Rose smiled back.

“ _Oh, that’s so nice of Juleka… but I’m actually more surprised about Chloé._ ” -Marinette thought to herself, as she noticed Adrien looking at her –“ _Oh, Adrien’s looking at me… oh, he has such cute abs…_ ”

“Marinette, Marinette… you’re practically drooling!” -Alya warned Marinette, by whispering to her ear.

“W-What?!” -Marinette snapped back to reality. –“S-Sorry, my mind was on the Moon… or better yet, over the Moon with Adrien…” -she whispered to Alya, who giggled.

“Alright, follow me then.” -Ivan said, as he entered the water.

One by one, everyone entered the water, swimming after Ivan. The water kept bubbling, but it was starting to calm down. When they reached the rock, Ivan told them to take a few deep breaths and then dive. Following Ivan, everyone took a deep breath and dove into the water, following the glowing light. Chloé, Sabrina, Rose and Juleka were the last ones to dive, and it proved to be a little hard for them to do so, because Sabrina and Rose could not see where they were going and could panic at any moment. Still, through Chloé and Juleka’s efforts, the two girls made it to the cave, where the rest of the gang was waiting for them. Coming out of the water, they took a deep breath. The air had a rather stale smell, but after a few seconds breathing it, one would get used to it. When they opened their eyes, they were marvelled, just like the rest of her friends, by the beauty of the place. It was unlike anything they had ever seen. The cave looked like the inside of a rainbow coloured geode, fused with an old cathedral. You could fit in there maybe 1000 people and still have room for a few more.

“This is amazing!” -Nathaniel said.

“I wish I had a camera right now…” -Nino sighed.

“I told you this was amazing, didn’t I?” -Ivan exclaimed, with his voice echoing on the cave’s walls.  

“It’s incredible, Ivan.” -Mylene said.

“It’s so beautiful. It looks like we’re inside of a rainbow. I could look at these forever, Juleka.” -Rose said. –“ _Just like I could look all day to those beautiful eyes of yours._ ” -she mused to herself.   

“You’re right, it’s beautiful. –“Juleka said. –“ _But not as beautiful as you._ ” -she thought to herself.

“Do you guys realize that we’ve entered somewhere, where no human being has ever been before?” -Alix said.

“Heck yeah! This is awesome!” -Kim exclaimed.

“I’m more interested in trying to know how these crystals glow… could this be a new kind of energy source?” -Max hypothesized.

“Who cares about it? This is fantastic!” -Chloé said. –“I wish I had something like this in my room, back in Paris.”

Looking around, they were marvelled with everything that surrounded them. The feelings they were having could only be understood by the people that had opened the tomb of Tutankhamen to find it filled with all kinds of treasures that had been sealed away for thousands of years. To them, right then, that cave was their tomb of Tutankhamen. The sheer beauty of all those crystals was incredible, almost breath-taking, and they were the only ones who knew about their existence.

“ _This is like, the 8 th wonder of the world._” -Marinette thought to herself. –“Hey, what is that over there?” -she pointed out to a small crystal construction in the opposite side of the cave.

Approaching it, they saw that what Marinette had found was a crystal spire. The way it looked, it almost seemed like it had been carved by human hands. But what made it look even more amazing were a set of coloured geodes embedded in it. The geodes were the size of 2 Euro coins and seemed to be glowing even brighter than the rest of the crystals in the cave. Gathering around the spire, they all felt like those coloured geodes in the crystal spire were transmitting some sort of mystical energy, though they could not explain how or why.  

“Tell me I’m not the only one that senses that these crystals here seem to be different from all the others.” -Alya said.

“You aren’t the only one.” -Marinette said. –“I don’t know why, but for some reason I feel like we should take them.”

“But, should we? I mean, we don’t even know what they are.” -Rose declared.

“What do you mean by what they are? You’re saying that as if they were some all-powerful objects!” -Chloé said.

“And what if they are? You’ve seen this place. This cave is definitely not natural… I bet nobody has ever seen crystals like the ones in the walls before, and if they look otherworldly, what stops these particular geodes here from being something no one can understand?” -Marinette asked her.

“I think that you’ve been reading too many fantasy books, Marinette.” -Chloé shot at her, not buying that story.

“Oh, come on, Chloé, don’t tell us that you aren’t feeling some strange vibes coming from these geodes?” -Alix asked her, and she was usually someone who did not believe in superstitions or weird things.

“I don’t believe in ghost stories or magic.” -Chloé declared.

“We’re not talking about ghosts or magic here, Chloé. We’re talking about vibes, energies that you can’t see but can feel.” -Max said. –“I mean, there have been studies that have proven that energy transfer from certain objects is possible, so there’s no magic here, but science.”

“Well… yeah, maybe I’m feeling something. I just don’t know what.” -Chloé admitted.

“Look, why don’t we watch this from another perspective? We can all agree that this place is unique and that these geodes here at least look special to us, because we found them.” -Adrien stated.

“So, you’re saying we’re imagining that these things are giving away some kind of mystical energy because we found them?” -Nathaniel asked.

“Pretty much, yeah. But hey, it’s just my opinion.” -Adrien pointed out.

“Still, they are pretty and the number of geodes is the same as all of us here.” -Nino said, as he counted them. –“It sounds like a pity not to take them with us, right?”   


	4. Shadow Recruitment

**Chapter 4: Shadow Recruitment**

 

The whole city of Paris was in shock. All over the media, news about an apparent terrorist attack in the Louvre were spreading like wildfire. No one knew what exactly had happened, and furthermore, no one had claimed responsibility for the attack.

But while the police and other law enforcement agencies tried to figure out what had happened, Hawk Moth roamed the darkest streets of Paris, looking for a place to establish his new base of operations, but more importantly, to seek out men and women for his new army. It had been two centuries since he had been turned into a statue, and he was eager to finish what he had started a long time ago. But, to do that, he would need an army, and to do so, he would recruit those

Attracted by the darkest of human emotions, he sought those of darkest heart to be his emissaries. And in that neighbourhood, he would find them.

“Like I said, human emotions haven’t changed. It will be easy to find what I’m looking for… and something tells me, I have just found it.”

Turning the corner, Hawk Moth saw his target. Crouched against a wall was a man with a shady look. His clothes were all worn out and you could see that he had been living in the streets for quite some time. Still, it was not his appearance that drew Hawk Moth to him. It was the turmoil of feelings in his soul… Rage, hate and greed, but above all, greed. Using his powers, the villain probed the man’s mind and saw what he was thinking. He was a low-life thief; earlier that night he had robbed a young couple. But he did not just because of the money, he had done it because he was jealous of them. Jealous because they had a good life, while he had to live like a mongrel, scraping what little food he found in garbage cans, while sleeping under a bridge. All those feelings and emotions made him the kind of person Hawk Moth was looking for. Smiling cruelly, he approached the man and said:

“Tell me, was it worth it?”

The man looked him in the eyes and was shocked to see a man as well dressed as Hawk Moth in that neighbourhood.

“What was worth it?”

“The robbery, of course. How much did they have in their wallets?” -he asked, with a wicked smile on his face. –“Whatever the amount was, it wasn’t enough, now was it?”

“What are you talking about? How do you know about what I’ve done?”

“Let’s just say, it’s my business to know about these things.”

“What are you? A cop?!” -the man said, as he got up and pulled out a knife out of his pocket. He pointed it at Hawk Moth with the intention of stabbing him. –“If you’re a cop, then you picked the wrong part of town to take a walk!”

Hearing this, Hawk Moth chuckled, before bursting into an almost uncontrolled maniacal laughter. He laughed like that for a few seconds, just before putting on a serious face.

“The wrong part of town, you say?” -Hawk Moth said. –“I do believe, that this is the right part of town for me. Especially since I’m attracted to the kind of emotions and feelings that bloom in this, let’s call it, cesspool.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“I’m talking about what’s inside of you.”

Moving his hand, he used the same trick he had with the security guard. But this time, he forced the man to drop his knife, and began to exert pressure on his body, slowly crushing him. As this happened, the man began to panic, his heart beating like a crazy ticker

“Yes… you’re afraid, are you not?” -Hawk Moth asked him. –“Of course you are, I can feel it, growing inside of you. I must say that although I love all kinds of dark emotions, fear is always a favourite of mine. You know why? Fear is the most primal instinct in Mankind, and as such, it makes you do things… unimaginable things, things that you would normally wouldn’t even think of doing.” -he smiled wickedly.

“P-Please….”

“Combined with the hate, envy and rage that is in your heart, it makes what I like to call, a winning combination.” -Hawk Moth kept talking. Then, he pulled the man towards him and looked him in the eyes. –“But I digress… I see that the feelings that have a stronger place in your heart are rage and envy. Rage from years of indifference from others, and envy… envy of what others have and you couldn’t have. What if I gave you the opportunity to exact your revenge upon others? Join me, and you the power to do so. What do you say?”

The man was scared stiff, but the words Hawk Moth had spoken were echoing in his head. The chance to finally get what he wanted, and to get revenge on all the people that had ignored him for countless years and treated him like garbage. That, was  

“Y-Yes, I will!”

“Very well.” -Hawk Moth smirked, releasing him. –“Shake my hand, and fulfil your destiny.”  

A little hesitant, the man shook hands with Hawk Moth. When their palms touched, a sudden energy discharge went through the man’s body, causing him to squirm and yell, as if he was being electrocuted. And then, it stopped. When he opened his eyes, both his eyeballs were glowing with a purple colour, and he had something on his hand… a butterfly tattoo, like the brooch Hawk Moth was wearing. Kneeling, he bowed his head in reverence.

“I live to serve you, Hawk Moth.” -the man said.

“What is your name?” -Hawk Moth asked him.

“My name is Marcel, Hawk Moth, my master.” -he answered.

“Marcel… that name is quite vulgar, and absolutely unfit for you.” -Hawk Moth declared, as his eyes caught the glimpse of a figure in his neck. It was a tattoo, an old and rather crude tattoo, but a tattoo nonetheless. This one, was a tattoo of a lizard. –“A lizard... yes, it is perfect. Because like a lizard, you will shed your old skin to being anew.”  

Then, he snapped his fingers and out of the blue, a little black butterfly appeared in his hand, which then flew into Hawk Moth’s newest minion and fused with him. Instantly, Marcel’s body was enveloped into a cloud of thick black and purple smoke. When the smoke disappeared, Marcel’s had changed. Where once was a filthy street tramp, was now a humanoid lizard, dressed in a leather jacket and pants, and black army boots.

“From this moment on, you’ll be named Reptile, and you will serve me..”

“As you wish, my master.” -Reptile responded.

Hawk Moth was pleased with what he had done. The once useless homeless man was now an obedient servant, through which he would exact his plan to reshape the world into his own image. But, he was just one servant; one soldier in his army, and you couldn’t have a one-man army, when you’re trying to take over the world. He would need many more soldiers to accomplish his goals. Using his powers, he immediately detected yet another dark soul, which was calling to him. But unlike the soul of Reptile, this one was emanating a different scent. The emotions coming from them were as dark as the ones in Reptile’s heart, but they were clearly different.

“Come, Reptile, another soul is calling us… but maybe you should adopt a more suitable appearance. We don’t want this person to be spooked by your current appearance.” -Hawk Moth told him.

“Yes, master.” -Reptile said.

Snapping his fingers, he immediately changed appearance like a chameleon. His green scaled skin was not human once more. His tail had disappeared, and his claws were now hands. He had jet black curly hair, green eyes and thin lips. No one would even dare to imagine that a few seconds before, he had the appearance of cold-blooded lizard.

Following Hawk Moth, through the dark streets of that neighbourhood, Reptile was still trying to get accustomed to his new powers, and to his new position in life. Still, he had no regrets of having allied himself with Hawk Moth. He had been reborn and now he had both the power to exact his revenge on those who had treated him like garbage, as well as having a new purpose in life.

After walking almost 10 minutes, Hawk Moth stopped in front of a store window. This one had a huge eye drawn on it, and you could read “Madame Selene - Fortune Teller”. He smirked as he looked at the window. Once more, he was surprised by just how much the world had changed, and how much it remained the same.

“ _Fortune tellers… amazing how there are still people who believe in this._ ” -he thought to himself. –“Wait here, and don’t let anyone enter, Reptile.” -he ordered him.

“As you wish, Hawk Moth.” -Reptile bowed his head, as he placed himself next to the door.

Entering the small establishment, the villain smelled the decrepitude of the place. It smelled like smoke, cheap incense and liquor. The décor was as cheap as the smell of the place. There was a small counter with an old doily on it, and a bell. Approaching it, he rang it twice, and waited. A few seconds later, a woman in her late 40’s showed up. She was dressed up in a gypsy outfit, though one could see that she did not have a single drop of gypsy blood in her veins. Looking at her, one could easily imagine that in her youth, she must have been a beautiful woman, but now, she was a shallow version of her former self. In her eyes, he could see that she was the person he was looking for. Smirking, he told himself:

“ _She is the one._ ”

The woman herself was a little surprised by the way the man in front of her was dressed. Plus, the mask he was wearing gave her the creeps. No one had ever entered her shop dressed like that before. Usually the ones who entered were either tourists or idiots who believed in the supernatural. Still, so long he was a paying customer and his money was good, he could even be wearing a green nightshirt with pink polka dots that she would not care.

“Evening… are you here to see Madame Selene?” -the woman asked.

“Yes, I am.” -Hawk Moth answered.

“Come with me.” -the woman signalled him to follow her.

Following her, Hawk Moth was lead into a small circular room. Transposing the door, the villain felt like he had entered an old gypsy tent. The walls and the ceiling were decorated in a way to mirror those old tents, by using an old orange and blue fabric. Numerous cheap charms and tacky wind chimes hanged on the walls. Just like at the entrance, there was a strong smell of incense in the air. And at the centre of the room, was a small round table with a crystal orb on top of it. The orb looked quite old, and from the looks of it, was the only authentic piece that would seem like it belonged to a real fortune-teller.   

“Welcome to Madame Selene. So, what do you want to know? Your future? If so, you must pay in advance. It’s 50 Euros for palm-reading, and if you wish me to consult the spirits in my crystal ball, that will be an additional 25 Euros.” -she warned him, as they took a seat.

“No, I’m not here to know about my future… I’m here to know about yours.” -he smiled.

“Excuse me?” -she asked, not understanding what he was talking about.

“I’m not one of those idiots that you can fool with some phoney mumbo-jumbo words or fake premonitions.” -Hawk Moth said.

“Look, if you came here to insult me, you can just turn around and exit through the door you came in, buster.” -she shot at him. –“I’m a professional.”

“A professional, you say? Yes, indeed you are. A professional swindler and a liar, no doubt about it… you haven’t predicted anything in your whole life.”

“What?! How dare you?!”

“What is it? Am I offending you by telling you the truth? You are a faker. You tell so many lies to people, that after all this time, you actually believe that what you tell them is the truth… but it’s a lie.” -Hawk Moth kept talking. –“Allow me to show you what I mean.”

Lifting his cane, he touched Madame Selene’s crystal orb with its tip, and instantly, this one started to glow, as it began to float in the air. Using his powers, Hawk Moth peered into Selene’s mind and saw what he was looking for. Projecting her memories into the crystal ball, the villain showed her some of her exploits. Times when she had swindled people by predicting futures that would never happen. All she did was to make them believe she could predict the future, by making a few questions to the person, and then, use that information to feed it plausible answers.

There was no magic in it. In fact, you could almost day that fortune telling was more of a deducting science, than anything else.

Seeing what the mysterious man in front of her had done, Madame Selene’s jaw nearly dropped. He had performed magic, real magic. Now there was something she had always wanted to possess… the ability to make real magic and foresee the future. But, just so she could use it for her own personal gain.    

“You really can’t tell the future… But you wish you could, am I right?” –Hawk Moth smirked. –“I can see it in that heart of yours, filled with selfishness and greed. What if I told you that I could give you that power? Not to predict the future, of course, but to make the future as you see fit, as well as performing some feats of magic?”

“Can you do that?”

“Of course, I can. All you have to do is swear your allegiance to me, Hawk Moth, and in exchange, I’ll grant you the power to do so.” -Hawk Moth told her. –“Just shake my hand…”

Madame Selene did not know what to do. For one, she did not know if she could trust that strange man. He had demonstrated that he was no ordinary person and had done things that she had never seen any men or women do before. Still, he was right about her. She longed for power and was determined to do anything to get it, especially power that would enable her to take matters into her own hands. Thinking of nothing but her desire for power, she told herself it was a once in a life opportunity. She was about to shake Hawk Moth’s hand, when it hit her. What if there was a catch?

“Wait…” -she hesitated. –“…what is the catch? There’s always a catch.”

“There is no catch. I will grant you the power you desire. In exchange, you will serve me, by helping me accomplish my goals, while still maintaining your free will.” -Hawk Moth told her. –“And as I said… all you have to do, is shake my hand.”

There was once more a little hesitation from Madame Selene. She had no idea if that stranger would really uphold his end of the bargain. For all she knew, he could very well just trick her… still, something deep inside of her greedy heart told her to take the offer. Determined to not be just a two-bit scam artist, but instead, someone with real power, she shook hands with Hawk Moth. Just like it happened with Reptile before, when their palms touched, Madame Selene’s body was exposed to a sudden energy discharge. When it finally stopped, her eyes were purple glowing and she had a butterfly tattoo on her palm, Hawk Moth’s sign.    

“Now that we have made our deal, are you ready to serve me?”

“Yes, my master.” -she bowed in respect.

“Excellent. But before we go, we must do something about your look. Someone who’s going to help me become the ruler of this world, can’t look like an ordinary fortune teller.” -he said, as he made another black butterfly appear, sending it towards Madame Selene.

Once the black butterfly touched her skin, Madame Selene was involved in a cloud of thick black and purple smoke. As soon as the smoke disappeared, she emerged a new woman; a woman in her young 20’s with an otherworldly beauty to her. Her face was white, and she has orange circle markings around her eyes, along with orange lipstick. Her hair was now orange and was worn in a loose ponytail. Her clothes were turned into a magnificent black and red gypsy dress with matching sandals.  

“From this moment on, you will be known as Madame Romani, mistress of illusion.” -Hawk Moth said, as he got up. –“Come now, we must go.”

“Yes, Hawk Moth.”

* * *

With Reptile and Madame Romani by his side, Hawk Moth decided that it was time to find a place he could call his headquarters. Reptile immediately warned his new master that he knew the perfect place. The place in question was an old abandoned underground station. The place itself had been closed to the public since the end of World War II, at least that’s what it looked like, from the numerous old campaigning posters that were still hanging on the walls, or rotting on the floor. Furthermore, you could still see military provisions and other military related items scattered around the station. It was clear that that station had served its purpose and had been abandoned long ago. Now, it would serve another purpose; to be Hawk Moth’s lair, where he would plan his conquest of the world, under everyone’s nose.

“I found this place once, while roaming some abandoned tunnels, in search of shelter, master. I know it’s not much, but I hope it is to your liking.” -Reptile declared.

“You call this a something that will be to our master’s liking?! This is unacceptable, and even a lowlife lizard such yourself should know it!” -Madame Romani shot at her fellow minion.

“No, it is perfect…” Hawk Moth said. –“It only needs a little makeover…”

With that, he banged his cane on the ground twice, releasing a wave of purple energy that knocked both Reptile and Madame Romani off their feet, as well as most of the things that were not stuck to the floor. Immediately, the energy began to reshape the environment surrounding them. The old station became unrecognizable, now with purple and light blue walls and black polished marble floor. The ditch where the tracks were, was now a swimming pool filled with numerous kinds of fishes. The Art Deco décor of the place had been replaced by a more modern one, but still bearing some traces of the previous style like multiple statues of Hawk Moth.

“Much better.” -Hawk Moth said, as he apprized his work on the place.

“Impressive.” -Madame Romani said.

“It will do for now. Once I rule over this city, and then the world, I’ll make sure to have a proper lair.”


	5. Back in Paris

It had been the best vacations ever for the students of Collège François Dupont. Everyone had had fun during their time in the south of France. But like all good things in life, these were coming to an end. It was time to head back to Paris, and get ready for the new school year. But, that did not stop every student from exchanging cell numbers and addresses with students from other schools they had befriended during the holidays, before their departure.

For Miss Bustier’s class, those had also been the best vacations ever, as well as the most incredible, though they still did not know the real reason why. On the night they went camping, just them, they had discovered a hidden underwater cave made of nothing else but crystals. It had been something they would remember for the rest of their lives. Feeling that the place had a certain magic to it, they all agreed to keep it a secret from everyone else. Of course, there had been some opposition from certain members in the class like Chloé, Max and Alya, who felt that something like that should be shared with everyone else… in Chloé’s case, she just wanted the cave to be named after her. Still, while they all dried themselves up near the fire, the others managed to convince the three of them to keep the whole cave discovery a secret just between them. As they finished packing their things, they all remembered that night, and what happened.

(Flashback)

_As they got out of the water, the whole gang started to shiver with cold. The wind had begun to blow, and it was not your typical summer breeze. Determined not to catch a cold, they all gathered around the still lighted fire. While there, they all kept talking about what they had seen and how lucky they were for being the first ones to see it._

_“It was so pretty.” -Marinette said, as she dried her hair with a towel she had brought with her._

_“I wish we could have stayed down there a little longer.” -Rose declared._

_“I just wished I had brought a water-proof camera to go back down there to photograph that place.” -Nino sighed._

_“Well, next time we come back, I’m sure you’ll get that chance.” -Adrien told his best friend, as he sat next to him._

_“What we saw down there was amazing.” -Alya said, still excited with what she saw. –“I can’t wait to tell everyone about this!”_

_“But, shouldn’t we keep this a secret? I mean, I don’t know about you, but I felt that that cave was ours and ours alone. I know it sounds a little selfish and childish, but, don’t you want to keep its existence a secret, just between us?” -Mylene asked her._

_“And why should we keep it a secret?” -Alya asked._

_“She’s right. A place so beautiful needs to be shared with everyone… especially after it’s named after me.” -Chloé told them._

_“After you? Why you?” -Alya asked her._

_“Well, isn’t it obvious?!” -Chloé said, a little shocked with the question. –“From all of us here, excluding Adrien of course, I’m the only one whose last name is known throughout all of France, of course.” -the blonde kept talking, as Sabrina brought her a towel and a clean shirt. –“Imagine, Chloé Bourgeois Cave… it has a nice ring to it.”_

_The discussion went on, and soon it became clear that not everyone wanted to keep what they had seen a secret. Still, as they kept talking, the ones who wanted to tell everyone about it, agreed that it would be better if they kept it a secret, at least until a later date._

_“I guess there are certain things that deserve to be kept a secret a little longer.” -Alya said._

_“Maybe… but from a scientific point of view, keeping the cave’s existence a secret is almost sacrilege.” -Max said._

_“Well, if you let me give it my name when we tell the rest of the world, I guess I can also keep it a secret.” -Chloé told them. The others decided to just ignore her comment about her naming the cave after herself. As long as she kept it a secret, they would let her think that way._

_“Then, it’s settled. We’ll keep it a secret just between us.” –Kim said._

_“And it’s not like we came out of it empty-handed.” -Mylene said. –“We brought these beautiful stones with us.”_

_“They are very pretty.” -Rose said, as she held hers with her fingertips._

_“Not just pretty… they look almost, I don’t know, mystical.” -Juleka declared._

_“True… it’s like they were put there, just for us all to take them.” -Rose declared._

_“Well, mystical or not, I like mine.” -Marinette said, as she looked at hers. The more she looked at it, the more the stone seemed to glow. –“I’m probably going to make a necklace out of it, so I can wear it around my neck.” -she smiled, as she imagined herself wearing that very same necklace._

_The others mimicked Marinette, and for a few seconds an awkward silence fell down upon the camp, before Sabrina broke it, by asking the others:_

_“So, shouldn’t we go back to sleep?”_

_“Are you kidding, Sabrina? I’m too hyped about what happened to go back to sleep.” -Nino said._

_“You and I…” -Alya told him. –“I feel with enough energy to stay awaken for another 24 hours.”_

_“What do you say if we stayed awake to see the sunrise?” -Nino suggested. –“I’ll even crank up a couple of songs on the radio I brought, to help cheer things up.”_

_“Sounds like a plan.” -Alix said. –“Do you got Jagged Stone’s latest album in your collection, Nino?”_

_“What do you think? Of course, I have!” -Nino laughed._

_“Well, if we’re going to stay up, we might as well have something to drink. I’m going to make some hot cocoa for us all.” -Marinette declared._

(End of flashback)

“So, are you ready to go back home?” -Alya asked Marinette, as the later tried to pack the last of her things.

“Absolutely. I mean, I loved these last two months and everything we did around here, but I miss home.” -Marinette said, as she finally managed to close her last suitcase. –“I miss my room, my bed, and I miss my parents.”

“You aren’t the only one, trust me.” -Alya smiled. –“I miss my mom’s cooking and my computer that over the last few days, I’ve been dreaming about them both.”

“And here I thought that you missed my parent’s cookies and pastries.” -Marinette joked, as Alya raised her eyebrow. –“Oh, don’t give me that look! I know that when we arrive in Paris, the first thing you’re going to do, before heading home is to go to my place to eat a few cookies at my expense.”

“What can I say? Your parents’ cookies are the best in Paris.” -Alya admitted. Her mother was one of the best chefs in all of Paris, and she loved her dishes, but when it came to sweets and pastries, no matter how good her moms were, there was something about Marinette’s parents’ cookies that made them impossible to compete against.

“Tell me about it.” -Marinette smiled. –“I love waking up to their smell every day.”

“You girls, ready?” -Alix asked them, as she approached them, carrying her bags. –“Mylene, Juleka and Rose are already outside waiting for us.”

“Almost.” -Alya told her.

“Yeah, we’re not like Chloé there, who brought her entire wardrobe all the way from Paris.” -Marinette whispered to the pink-haired girl, while giggling.

And truthfully, that was what it looked like, as Sabrina tried her best to stack every single pair of shoes Chloé had brought with her in one of Chloé’s suitcases. As she packed them, she wondered why her best friend had brought so many clothes and shoes, if in the end, she did not wear them.

“Careful with those boots, Sabrina, they’re Louis Vuitton and they are worth more than all of the clothes in your wardrobe.” -Chloé warned her. –“Here, let me do this… you can finish packing my sweaters.” -she said.

“O-Okay, Chloé… but, I don’t think they’re all going to fit in this last bag.” -Sabrina warned her, as she grabbed one of the sweaters and placed it in the bag.

“They have to. I mean, they all fit in the bag when we came, so naturally, they’ll have to fit in it.” -Chloé told her, when she remembered something. –“Oh, wait, I forgot we went shopping last month and I bought a few new ones… look, those that won’t fit in the bag, you can have them. I can always buy new ones.”

“Really? Oh, thanks, Chloé!” -Sabrina dropped the sweater she was holding, and hugged Chloé as hard as she could. –“You’re the best!”

* * *

While the girls packed their things, the boys did the same thing, though they did not have the problems that Chloé had.

“Can’t wait to get back to Paris.” -Max said, as he closed the zipper from his bag.

“Why, because you can’t get a decent Internet reception around here?” -Kim asked him.

“No, because I miss school. Unlike you guys, I like attending school, just as much as I love to play videogames.” -Max told him.

“Well, I for one want to get back to Paris to do some awesome parkour.” -Kim declared, as he slipped on his backpack. –“I mean, I tried doing it around here all summer, but it’s not the same thing. I’m more of a cement and concrete Tarzan kind of guy, if you catch my drift?”

“Yeah, and Paris is the best city to practice parkour, we know, we know. You keep saying that, Kim.” -Ivan said.

But not everyone was happy to go home. While the others talked about how excited they were to go back home, Adrien on the other hand was sad, because he had to go back home. It was not like he did not want to go back home, but after a whole summer in the constant company of his friends and other kids, going back to the huge mansion where he lived, all alone with his father, it just felt wrong. Seeing him all gloomy, Nino tried to cheer him up.

“Hey, why the long face?”

“It’s nothing…”

“Come on, who’re you trying to fool, bro? This is me we’re talking about.” -Nino told him, always with a smile. –“Come on, what’s really bothering you?”

“I guess I’m just sad that the summer is practically over…”

“And…?” -Nino tried to make Adrien open up to him.

“And that I won’t be able to hang out with you and the rest of the gang the way we did these holidays.” -Adrien sighed, already thinking about all the photoshoots we was going to make for his dad’s fashion house after school, when all he wanted was to have a normal life, like every other kid in his school. 

“Oh, come on, the way you’re talking it sounds like you’re moving to another country or another planet, Adrien.” -Nino told him. –“Look, it’s like they say, the party might be over, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to be over. With us by your side, that’s not going to happen.”

This last comment made Adrien smile. Ever since he was transferred to François Dupont he had grown quite attached not just to Nino, but to everyone else in his class, and little by little he began to consider them almost like the family he wished he had, especially because in his previous school he never had any friends.

“Plus, we’ve got to help you tell a certain girl that you like her…” -Nino whispered to Adrien.

“Don’t say that out loud!” -Adrien hushed him, not able to stop giggling.

“What are you guys talking about?” -Kim asked the two boys, seeing them talking together.

“Oh, I was just telling him that this is going to be the best school year ever.” -Nino answered him, as he winked his eye at Adrien.

“If by best school year, you mean the year that I finally kick Alix’s butt in gym and PE, then yeah, it’s going to be the best!” -Kim boasted.

“Man, are you really that obsessed with defeating a girl?” -Ivan asked him. –“If I didn’t know you any better, I’d say that you’re just trying to show off in order to date her.” -Ivan broke into laughter.

“Yeah, like that will ever happen…” -Kim said in a sarcastic tone. –“I just like to compete against her.”

“Sure, you do…” -Max whispered to Ivan, who laughed.

“Real mature, guys, real mature…” -Kim said sarcastically. –“… huh, hey Nathaniel, what are you doing? You should be packing.”

Nathaniel was sitting on the bed sketching something in his sketchbook, when he heard Kim calling him.

“I already did. I was just finishing sketching this, while waiting for you guys.” -he said, as he showed them the drawing. This one was once more a hooded figure, similar to the one he saw in his dreams and that he had sketched on the night the gang went camping in the woods.

“That figure again?” -Adrien said.

“Don’t tell me you dreamed about it again?” -Max asked.

“Yeah, over the last few nights… it keeps trying to tell me something, but I wake up before I can understand what it’s telling me.”

“You ain’t the only one who’s been dreaming with that hooded figure.” -Ivan said.

“What? Don’t tell me you have been dreaming about it too?” -Nino asked him.

“Not me, but Marinette and Rose have.” -he said.

“And you know that because?” -Nino asked him.

“Because they both told Mylene about it, and she told me.” -Ivan answered, as the guys eyed him with suspicion. –“What? We talk a lot…”

“Anyways, what are the odds of that even happening?” -Adrien asked.

“Not many. I mean, statistically speaking the odds of that happening are very low. But, it’s not unheard of people having similar dreams after sharing an intense experience, or seeing something that impressed them.” -Max told them.

“In other words, they dreamed about that hooded figure that Nathaniel dreamed about, because they saw the drawing he did of it?” -Kim asked.

“Pretty much, yeah.” -Max asserted.

“That seems reasonable.” -Nino waved his head. –“Still…”

The conversation related to that subject would have went on, if it were not for one of the camp’s counsellors, who knocked on the door and asked the boys if they were ready to go, thus breaking the mood. The boys quickly told him that they were nearly finished with their packing, as he warned them that their bus would leave in 20 minutes.

* * *

The trip back to Paris went without hitches. You could say that it was a regular trip, with three stops, so the students could use the restroom, as well as stretching their legs. During the trip, the students tried to keep themselves busy by either listening to music on their MP3s, playing on their gaming consoles, or just talk between them. When they arrived in Paris, their clock showed 3 in the afternoon.

The buses that were carrying all the students of Françoise Dupont stopped in front of the school’s entrance, where some of the students’ parents were waiting for them. After that, it was the usual disarray, as everyone tried to get out of their bus, to get their bags so they could go home. In order to avoid it, Marinette and her class opted to stay put and wait for the hustle to end, before exiting the bus.

As they grabbed their things, they all said goodbye, knowing that they would talk to each other’s, later online. Some of them went home with their parents, like in Sabrina’s case, whose father, Lt. Raincomprix was waiting for her in his patrol car, or Chloé, who had father, Mayor Bourgeois waiting for her in his limo. But Chloé’s limo was not the only car parked there. Behind it was the Agreste’s car, and next to it, waiting, was the Agreste’s driver and Adrien’s personal bodyguard, whom he liked to call “Gorilla”, both because he looked like one and did not talk, and because he did not know his real name. Next to him was also Nathalie Sancoeur, Gabriel Agreste’s assistant, as well as the family mansion’s governess. Seeing them, Adrien immediately knew that his father had not been able to come and pick him up.

“Hey, what did we talk about before? No long faces, bro.” –Nino told him. Once, Adrien told him that whenever those two were present, it meant that his father was absent, and when he saw them both, he knew he had to try and cheer him up. –“Come on, if your dad didn’t care about you, he wouldn’t have sent those two to come and pick you up, am I right?”

Adrien smiled back at Nino, and then, did something so impulsive, that for a moment, he did not recognize himself talking.

“Hey, do you have to go home right away?” -he asked Nino. –“Because if you don’t, I was wondering, would you like to spend the afternoon at my place?”

“You? Inviting me, to your place? Who are you and what did you do to my best friend?” -Nino joked. It was the first-time Adrien asked him to come to his house.

“I’m serious. We could hang out a little longer. You could even stay for dinner, if you want to, of course.”

“Well, my parents are both working and weren’t able to come and pick me up… I guess I’ll accept your invitation. Providing your driver there takes me home later.” -Nino joked. –“Let me just warn  my folks that I’ll be dining at your place.” -he said, as he grabbed his cell phone to call them.           

While this happened, Marinette had grabbed her bags and was on her way back home, when Alya caught up to her and helped carry one of the bags. As she grabbed it, she said:

“Maybe next time you’ll think about getting a trolley. It makes carrying it a lot easier.” -Alya suggested her.

“I’ll think about it, thanks.”

“Don’t thank me yet, girl. You know you still owe me a few of your parents’ delicious cookies.” -she told her best friend.

“Don’t worry, I haven’t forgot about it.” -Marinette smiled. Alya really loved her parents’ cookies; and who could blame her? Marinette herself would eat them all the time if she could.

Soon, they arrived, and when Marinette opened the door to the bakery, she saw her parents, Tom and Sabine, behind the counter.

“I’m home!” -Marinette exclaimed, as she and Alya entered the bakery.

“Honey! Welcome home!” -Tom said.  

“Oh, Marinette, let me take a good look at you.” -Sabine said, as she came from behind the counter. –“You look so skinny. I’ve you been eating properly?”

“Mom, I’ve been eating just fine.” -Marinette protested.

“Well, it doesn’t look like it. Alya, has Marinette been eating properly?” -Sabine asked the brunette.

“Yes, ma’am, she has.” -Alya waved her head.

“I’ll take your word for it, then. But I still think that you are very skinny, young lady.”

“And here I thought that after two months, you were going to say “Oh Marinette, you’ve grown so much!” –

“But you haven’t, sweetie.” -Sabine giggled. –“You’re still the same height.”

“Thanks a lot, mom.” -Marinette sulked, as she crossed her arms in frustration.

“Oh, don’t be like that, sweetie. I’m just kidding with you.” -Sabine said, as she hugged her daughter. –“I’m so happy to have you back.”

“It’s good to be home, mom.” -Marinette told her, now smiling. –“I missed you and dad, so much.”

“And we missed having you around here, honey.” -Tom told his daughter.

“I’ve got a ton of stuff to tell you.”

“And we want to know every little detail about it at dinner.” -Sabine told her. –“But right now, you and Alya must be very tired from the trip. Why don’t you go to your room that I’ll take you a plate of fresh baked cookies?”

“That sounds wonderful.” -Alya said.

“Make sure it’s a very large plate, mom. Alya really missed your cookies.” -Marinette giggled.

* * *

Entering Agreste mansion, Nino was baffled by it. He had seen it from the outside, but this was the first time he was inside the mansion. He had imagined how the mansion’s interior would look like, and now, he was actually surprised by how exact he had imagined it. It was opulent, but simple at the same time, reflecting the French style. The only thing that he had not pictured was a portrait of Adrien and his father hanging in the wall over the first flight of stairs of the mansion’s foyer.

“Welcome to my humble abode.” -Adrien joked.

“Humble?! Don’t mind me telling you this, but there’s nothing humble about your house, Adrien.” -Nino joked back.

“You know what I mean.” -Adrien chuckled. –“Put those in my room, okay? I’ll unpack later.” -he told Gorilla, who was carrying his bags, as he took the stairs to the second floor. –“Nathalie, will my dad be in time for dinner?”

“I’m afraid not, Adrien. Your father has three meetings today, so that means, he won’t be home until 10.” -she said, as she checked Gabriel Agreste’s appointment book.

“Like always.”

“He should be in a meeting, but, I can try and call him to tell that you arrived safely and that way, you can also talk to him, if you want to.” -Nathalie suggested. Even though her last name meant “without a heart”, Nathalie had a very big heart and she cared a lot about Adrien.

“No, that’s okay. I mean, you can call him and tell him that I’ve arrived safely, but, I’ll talk to him when he arrives.”

“As you wish.” -she sighed. –“In the meantime, can I ask the chef to make a little snack you and your friend?”

“What do you think? You’re hungry, Nino?” -Adrien asked him.

“I could go for a sandwich or something, if that’s okay.” –Nino answered.

“Very well, I’ll take it to your room.” -Nathalie declared.

“Nathalie? Could you tell him not to use Camembert cheese on the sandwiches? I hate that cheese.”

“I’ll let the chef know.” –

“You don’t like Camembert? What kind of a person in France doesn’t like Camembert, bro?”

“The kind of person who, like me, can’t stand that cheese’s awful smell.” -Adrien told him. –“It’s not like I’m the only person who doesn’t like a particular food.”

“Yeah, but the way you say it, it makes you sound like you hate it.”

“And I hate it.” -Adrien said, making Nino laugh. –“But, I didn’t ask you to come to my place so you could laugh at the expense of my food preferences. What do you want to do first?”

“Well, how about we hear some music?” –Nino told him. –“I mean, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re rich and I bet my lucky headphones that you’ve got a seriously awesome, top of the line stereo system in your house. Perfect to hear some of the best songs ever.” -he said, making Adrien laugh once more.

“It’s times like this that I wonder if you’re my best friend because of me, or because of my money.” -Adrien chuckled, as he led them to his room. –“But you’re right, I do have one of those, right here.” -he said, as he opened his door’s room.

When he opened the bedroom door, Nino was baffled by what he saw. Adrien’s room was divided into two levels, connected by a white spiral staircase, and had pretty much everything a kid would like to have in a room. Aside from the huge stereo system, there was a rock-climbing station, a basketball half-court, two wooden skateboard ramps, a Foosball table, a zipline, an arcade station with several consoles and a DDR-esque dance-pad, a huge plasma screen-TV, complete with a huge couch, and a king-size bed. On top of all, the upper part of his room was a huge library with all sorts of books on the shelves. 

“Dude, I’ve seen tinier stadiums than your room.” -Nino said, as he tried to process what he was seeing. –“You could fit our class in here, twice and you’d still have room.”

 “I know, right? I would have settled for a smaller bedroom, but my dad thinks that I need all of this.”

“It must be tough to have a father like yours. I’m not saying he isn’t a decent father, Adrien, but the way I see it, he’s trying to make it up for the fact that he’s not around as much as he should be.” -Nino told him, only realizing later that he might have been a little too blunt about it. –“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“No, it’s okay, bro, you’re right. By giving me all of this, my dad’s trying to make it up for not being here for me.” -Adrien sighed, as he went to the couch and sat on it. –“It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, because I know just how hard he works to give me everything I have, but… but sometimes I wished things were different, like when my mom was around.”

Without realizing it, Adrien ended up looking at an old portrait of his with both his parents that was hanging on the wall nearby. He remembered the day they took that portrait. It was a few months before his mother passed away.

“That’s your mom?” -Nino asked, as he looked at the portrait of younger Adrien with his parents.

“Yeah, it’s her.” -Adrien forced a smile, so as to not give the impression that he was feeling sad. He did not want to make Nino feel uncomfortable.

“She was really pretty.” -Nino said. Looking at the portrait closely, he noticed just how much he resembled his mother. –“You look so much like her.”

“She used to say that the only thing I inherited from my father were his ears.” -he chuckled, as he remembered his mother telling him that over and over, when he asked why he was not more like his father. –“The rest, was all hers.” 

“I can see that… how did she…”

“Died? I don’t really know… my dad has never told me the whole story behind it, but from what he told me, she died during an expedition in Cambodia. She was an archaeologist, and a very good one, from what I was told. She was exploring some ruins and then, she disappeared. They found her body down a ravine… or at least, that’s what I was told.”

“You must miss her a lot.”

“I do.” –he sighed. –“I was only 7 when she died.”

“And…” -Nino hesitated. –“… was your dad always like this? I mean, you’re always telling me that he’s distant most of the time.”

“To tell you the truth, he used to smile a lot more when my mom was alive. I guess after her death, he just stopped smiling.” -Adrien sighed.

Feeling that that conversation was making his friend sadder by the minute, Nino decided that it was time to try and cheer him up somehow.

“Look, I didn’t come here to make you feel sad, okay? So, let’s do something fun, okay?”

“Alright, you still want to hear music?”

“Are you kidding? That can wait…” -Nino said, as he got up from the couch and grabbed a basketball that was lying on the floor. –“... what can’t wait is me kicking your ass in a basketball match! Come on, bro, one-on-one. The one who manages to score 10 points first, wins!”

“You’re on.” -Adrien said, as he jumped from the couch.  


	6. The Hooded Figure

A few days went by after the gang came back from their vacations, and the infamous rentrée, or the start of the new school year was just around the corner. Still, that was not the main conversation subject among the Parisians. The mysterious terrorist attack to the Louvre was all that people talked about, mostly thanks to the media, who kept speculating on which terrorist organization had perpetrated such an attack, given that none claimed responsibility for it. And although most people liked to speculate about what had happened, others were already up to their ears with that subject, like Chloé Bourgeois, who had not been able to spend any time with her father, the mayor, thanks to all of this. Ever since the attack took place, Mayor Bourgeois spent most of his time in his office, attending various meetings, discussing ways to improve security throughout the city of Paris, but also to make sure that whatever happened at the Louvre, would not happen again. And, ever since she got back from her vacations, Chloé was forced to always be near her father. As he told her, he needed to convey to the public the impression that everything was going to be alright, and the best way to do that, was for her to appear with him, so as to tranquilize the people.

Being the Mayor’s daughter, Chloé knew that this was necessary; she had appeared alongside her father in most of his most important speeches since she was a little girl, always smiling and waving. But after almost a week of that, she was getting tired, and for once, she wished school had already started, so she could get out of there. Luckily, she was not alone, as her best and only friend, Sabrina, kept her company, as her father had to attend the very same meetings as the Mayor. Sat outside of one of the town hall’s meeting room, Chloé talked with Sabrina.

“I can’t believe I’ve to be stuck here in town hall during my last vacation days!” -Chloé exclaimed in frustration.

“Calm down, Chloé. Getting mad won’t solve anything.”

“I know it won’t, idiot!” -Chloé yelled at Sabrina in frustration. But, as soon as she said it, she felt guilty about what she had said. –“I’m sorry, Sabrina… it’s just that I hate being stuck here, doing nothing. If daddy wanted to spend most of his day in that room, that was fine by me, but he could have let me stay back in the hotel.”

“Well, if you had stayed back in the hotel, I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to. And you know that I love to talk to you, don’t you?” -Sabrina chirped.

“Of course, I also love to talk to you, you idiot!” -Chloé practically screamed at Sabrina. –“You’re probably the only person who understands me.” -she said, this time with a calmer voice, as she sat on a chair.

“Oh, I’m not the only one. I’m probably the one that understands you best, but I know I’m not the only one.” -Sabrina told her.

“Yes, you are. I mean, the others in class don’t even want to talk to me, and when I do talk to them, they don’t even hear me out.” -Chloé said.

“Maybe, it’s because you tend to be a little mean to them?”

“Mean?! What do you mean by tending to be a little mean?” -Chloé demanded to know.

“I-I… I m-mean that…”

“No, you’re right.” -Chloé interrupted her. –“I am mean to them.” -she sighed. –“I don’t want to, but, I just can’t help myself. I talk without thinking.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” -Sabrina told her, as she sat next to her. –“But, you could really work a little on your attitude. If you did, maybe the others would start seeing you like I do, a sweet girl who’s actually very lonely and just wants some real attention and love.” -she smiled to her friend.

This last statement made Chloé shed a tear. Even though Sabrina was her only real friend, she generally bossed her around, forcing her to do her homework and school chores that she was given, and she would yell at her and call her names when she was not able to do the things she asked her to. Just thinking about those things made her feel like crap. Not able to control herself, she hugged Sabrina as tightly as she could.

“How can you still be friends with me after everything I did and told you?”

“Let’s just say that I know the real you.” -Sabrina smiled at her. –“You know, I read somewhere that when starting a new school year, a student should make a list of resolutions he or she wants to accomplish during that school year. Why don’t you make one of your resolutions to treat others better and that way, gain their admiration and friendship?”

“You really think that would work?” -Chloé asked her,

“With a little help from a friend who knows you, yes. I’ll help you, discreetly of course.” -Sabrina kept smiling.

Chloé just smiled and hugged Sabrina once more. If there was one thing that she knew about Sabrina was that when she made a promise to someone, she would keep her word. Sighing, and trying not to cry, she said:

“Did I ever tell you how lucky I am that I’ve got a friend like you?”

“Maybe once or twice.” -Sabrina told her, with a smirk on her face.  

“Now you’re being mean.”

“Just a little bit.” -Sabrina –“So, are you ready to become a brand new Chloé Bourgeois?”

“I am.” -Chloé answered with conviction. –“It won’t be easy, I know it won’t.”

“That’s what you say. Once you start, you’ll see it’s easy.” -

“Maybe we should start with eating something, so your stomach stops grumbling.”

“You know what I was in the mood right now? Those delicious cookies that Marinette’s parents bake. I love the cinnamon ones

“Now there’s someone whom I hate.” -Chloé sighed –“I don’t really know why I hate Marinette, but I do and no matter what. But you’re right, the cookies from her parents’ bakery are the best in all of Paris, especially the chocolate chip ones.” -Chloé admitted, as she remembered one time when Marinette brought cookies for the whole class, and the first thing she did was to scorn on them, something that she would then regret doing, for when she tasted one, she loved them, but because she had scorn them, she could not eat another to raise suspicions. She would later that day ask Sabrina to go to the bakery and buy a whole box of them for her.

“Unfortunately, we can’t go out and buy a box of them.” -Sabrina said, as their parents told them that they could not leave city hall.

“That means we’ll just have to settle for something else. I’m going to call the hotel and tell them to send us something to eat.” -Chloé said, as she picked her cell phone. –“I think I’m going to order sushi for the two of us, and then, for dessert… I’m going to order a large Frozen Chocolate Haute. You want to share with me?” -she asked, as that particular dessert was made of 24 different types of cocoas, 14 of which were branded as the priciest cocoas in the world. On top of that, the chocolate sundae was topped with edible 23-karat gold. Adding to the lavish creation were the edible gold decorations crusting the goblet. A dessert fit for a king or a queen, and Chloé really wanted to eat one.

“Sure.” -Sabrina waved her head, when she saw something that alarmed her. At the end of the corridor there was a hooded figure. –“Chloé! Chloé, look over there!”

“What?!” -Chloé asked.

“Over there!” -the redhead pointed to the place where she saw the hooded figure. But when she did, it was already gone. –“But I…”

“You what?”

“I thought I saw something.” -Sabrina told her, not sure if she had really seen something, or if it had been just her imagination.

“It’s probably just your brain playing tricks on you because you haven’t eaten all morning.” -Chloé told her. –“Don’t worry, our lunch is on its way, and I think I’m going to order a double dosage for you, because if you’re starting to see things, then you must be really hungry, Sabrina.” -she said.   

* * *

While Chloé and Sabrina were forced to stay at city hall, waiting for their lunch to be delivered, Marinette had decided to go out to buy some last things she needed for school, and called Alya to join her. Alya, who had nothing better to do, told her that she would meet her after running one last errand for her parents.

Walking down the street, Marinette checked her list to see if she had bought everything she needed.

“Let’s see, pencils… check; crayons… check; new sketchbook… check… but I still need to buy a new USB Pen Drive, and a new compass. I hope I’ve brought enough money for them.” -she thought to herself.

She was so distracted with her thoughts that if it wasn’t a for a police officer that was running the traffic, she would have been turned into a pancake by a speeding car that came out of nowhere.

“You better watch out where you’re going, miss.” -the officer told her.

“Y-Yes. T-Thank you.” -Marinette said, still startled by the scare. –“Maybe I should find a place to sit, until my heart rate goes back to normal.” -she thought.

Finding a bench, she sat on it, and took long deep breaths, trying to slow down her beating heart. If it had not been for that policeman, she would have ended up in a coffin. The more she thought about it, the more she realized just how lucky she had been.

“I need to do something to take my mind from these thoughts.” -she told herself. Opening her backpack, she took out her new sketchbook and a pencil, and got ready to use them. –“I didn’t want to use you already, but I need to get these thoughts out of my head.”

Unwrapping the plastic around it, she opened the sketchbook and looked around for something to draw. Like all great artists, Marinette was usually inspired by what was around her. Quickly, her eyes caught the attention of a stray black cat that was walking by, and she decided to draw the feline. Not quite happy with the result, she then decided to anthropomorphise him, and gave him a top hat, a walking cane and a tuxedo. She smiled as how cute it looked.

“Looks cute… but I think it gave me another idea.” -she said.

Sketching as quick as she could, she designed a jacket based on the cat, and this time, the result was more to her taste. Ever since she was little that Marinette took pleasure in taking things from real life and incorporate their designs into the clothes she designed. One of her dreams was to become of the best fashion designers in the History of Paris and to open a boutique. But, she knew that she was still a few years away from achieving those dreams, and that she would have to work extra hard to achieve them. Still, that did not stop her from dreaming about them.

Feeling inspired, she kept drawing everything she felt was worth drawing. In a matter of minutes, she had 10 pages of her new sketchbook filled with all sorts of drawings and designs. It was when she finishing one of these, that her cell phone rang with a text from Alya, saying that she was running a little late. Marinette quickly texted her back, telling her where their new meeting point would be and that she would be waiting for her. Done with that, she kept sketching. Taking a moment to appreciate her work, she took a deep breath and looked at her last drawing, a beautiful gown, and asked herself if she should make it.

“It would be a nice addition to my wardrobe, and with the right colour, it would go nicely with one of my winter coats.” -she told herself, when she heard a familiar laughter.

Looking around, she immediately recognized that laughter and where it came from. It was Rose’s laughter. She was maybe 20 meters from where Marinette was, leaning against the railing near the Seine, and she was accompanied by Juleka. The two girls were both snapping photos of one another with a polaroid, although it was more like Juleka was photographing Rose. The Goth girl was quite shy and did not like to appear on photos, because she thought she was not pretty, though the real reason was that every time someone took a photo of her, she ended up looking awful in them; thanks to that, she believed that it would be best if she was never photographed again. But, unlike her friend, Rose liked to be photographed and felt that Juleka would also look pretty in any photo.

“Come on, smile, Rose.” -Juleka said, as she pointed the polaroid.

“Okay, but I’m taking the next photo.” -Rose smiled, as the photo was taken.

“No, I told you, I don’t want any photos of me.” -Juleka protested.

“But I want to have a photo of yours.” -Rose said. –“ _So, I can put it in my wallet and see how beautiful you look, whenever I want to._ ” -she thought to herself.

“Rose, I told you, I don’t like to be photographed.” –Juleka told her. -“ _Though you look beautiful in every photo._ ” -she told herself.

“Why?”

“No particular reason, I just don’t like it.” -she lied to Rose.

Hearing them, Marinette placed her things back in her backpack, and decided to join them.

“Hey, Rose! Hey Juleka!” -she exclaimed, as she waved at them.

“Hey, Marinette!” -Rose said.

“What’s up?” -Juleka asked her.

“Nothing much. Doing a little shopping for school, while waiting for Alya to show up. What about you? Do you girls have everything you need for the new school year?”

“Yes.” -Rose waved her head.

“Yup. My parents already bought me everything, including the books.” -Juleka said.

“I see. So, what’cha doing?”

“I was sick of being home alone, so I called Rose to come and take a walk with me. I brought my old polaroid to photograph her, but now she’s trying to convince me to pose for a photograph.”

“And?”

“And Juleka doesn’t want to, because she doesn’t like to be photographed.” -Rose said.

“And why’s that? Is it because you think you look bad on the photos?” -Marinette asked Juleka.

Juleka hesitated in answering her. She did not really want to answer that question, but seeing both Marinette and Rose were not going to let that one pass, she decided to answer it.

“Yes… every time someone snaps a photo of me, I end up looking bad on it.” -Juleka said. –“I sometimes think that the reason why that happens is that I jinx the photographer, and then he or she make me look bad on the photo.”

“Oh, Juleka, that’s just silly superstition.” -Marinette said. –“You just been having bad luck with the photographers, and I’m going to prove that to you.”

“How?” -Juleka asked.

“I’m going to photograph you.” -Marinette said, as she took the camera from her, not giving her time to react. –“Now, I want you to look at the camera and smile, okay?”

“I’m not going to do it. I’ll jinx it.”

Determined to snap a photo of Juleka smiling, and prove to her that she did not jinx the photographers, Marinette saw only one way out of that predicament.

“Rose, tickle her!”

“Oh, no you don’t!”

“Oh, yes I do, Juleka!”

“S-Stop it, stop it, Rose… ahahahah… ahahahah… s-stop it!” -Juleka said, as Rose began to tickle her in the neck, and beneath the arms, and she tried to make her stop.

Juleka’s laughter was incredibly contagious; almost as much as Rose’s. The only difference was that Marinette was used to hearing Rose laugh, but not Juleka. In fact, Juleka did not talk much. She usually kept it to herself, and would only talk when strictly necessary. Still, when in the company of certain people, like Rose, she tended to talk a lot. And right then, she was doing such, mostly because Rose would not stop ticking her.

Snapping a photo, she told Rose to stop, letting Juleka catch her breath. She had laughed so much, that tears started to come out of her eyes.

“And now, let’s prove to you that you also look on photographs, Juleka.”

Waving the photo, she waited until the image was clear enough to show it to the girls. And to Juleka’s surprise, she ended up looking good on the photo. It was the first time in a really long time, she looked good on a photo.

“How…”

“Well, I’m not Nino or one of those photographers that are always photographing Adrien, but I do have my own tricks to make people look good on a photo.” -Marinette confessed. –“Now, do you still believe that you’ll look bad on every photo that people take you?”

“I guess not…” -Juleka admitted. She looked good on the photo.

“Then, does that mean I can take a photo of you?” -Rose asked her.

“Okay, but just one.” –Juleka agreed.

“Aren’t you afraid you might, you know, jinx me and I end up taking a bad photo of you?” -Rose asked her with a playful voice.

“No, I trust you. After all, you’re my best friend.” -Juleka smiled.

“Hold that pose and hold that smile.” -Rose asked her, as Marinette handled her the polaroid, and she quickly snapped the photo. Once she had it in her hands, she waved it furiously, so the image would settle in faster. Like she had thought, the result was the one she had anticipated. Juleka looked even better in that photo than in the one Marinette took earlier. Showing it to Juleka and Marinette, the two of them smiled.

“Now what do you know? Two great photos in one day. I’m starting to think that our little Goth girl here is a modelling star in ascension.” -Marinette commented, while giggling.

“Oh, cut it out, Marinette.” -Juleka giggled. –“I’m not Adrien.”

“And a good thing too. If you were Adrien, Marinette would probably start to stutter and say silly things, while trying to talk to you.” -Rose giggled.

“W-What are you t-talking about?” -Marinette began to stutter.

“Oh, Marinette, we know you’re in love with Adrien.” -Rose said. –“ _Just like I’m in love with Juleka here._ ” -she thought.

“Yeah, and it’s okay. I mean, he’s quite the hunk.” –Juleka told her. –“ _Although, no matter how handsome he is, he doesn’t hold a candle to Rose here._ ” -she thought.

“Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone. Although, if I had to take a guess, I would say that anyone who pays attention to it, clearly sees that you’re head over heels for him.”  -Rose said.

“Thanks, girls.” -Marinette said, thinking about what Rose had told her about anyone who paid attention to the little signs. –“Let me get a photo of the two of you together. I want to remember this day as the day that I helped prove to Juleka that she looks good on photos.” -she said, as she grabbed her cell phone.

“Okay. Let us just place ourselves here.” -Rose said, as she and Juleka sat on the railing and leaned against one another. While Rose was smiling, Juleka was doing a serious face; only when Rose tickled her did she smiled.

Marinette was about to take the photo, when she saw something on the bridge behind her two friends, a hooded figure. She had seen that hooded figure before; it was the hooded figure that Nathaniel had drawn when they were in camp; the very same hooded figure that she and Rose had seen in a dream. Without realizing, she forze in place, as her skin became pale as chalk.

“Marinette?” -Rose said.

“Marinette, are you okay?” -Juleka asked her, as the two of them went to her, to see if she was alright.

“H-Hooded figure…” -she stuttered.

The girls took her to a bench nearby and tried to understand why she became so pale suddenly. Rose even wanted to get her a glass of water from a nearby café, but Marinette told her that it was not needed. After about two minutes, Marinette regained her usual colours, and told them what she had seen. Though Juleka initially did not understand why that reaction, Rose on the other hand also became a little restless.

“But are you sure it was that very same hooded figure?” -Rose asked her.

“I am.” -Marinette sighed.

“Maybe you thought you saw something. It happens to me all that time.” -Juleka said.

“I don’t know, Juleka. I really did saw it, and if I hadn’t frozen, I would’ve photographed it.” -Marinette said. –“Believe me, it was the same hooded figure, just the way Nathaniel drew it the other day.”

“Look, I’m not saying you didn’t see anything, but, maybe Juleka is right. Maybe it was just your mind playing tricks on you.” -Rose told her, trying to reassure her that it had been her imagination, though at the same time, she was also telling herself the same thing.  

“Maybe… I don’t know anymore.” -Marinette began to second guess herself. –“I woke up early today, so, maybe it’s just my brain telling me that I need to rest a little.”

“Then, what you need is to head back home and get some rest.” -Juleka said, when she noticed Alya approaching. –“Look, Alya is here.”

“Don’t tell her about this, okay? I don’t want to worry her.” -Marinette begged the two of them. Ever since they met, Alya had always worried about her well-being, and if she knew that she was seeing things, she would immediately start worrying, and that was the last thing she wanted now.

“It’ll be our secret.” -Rose winked at her.

“Yeah, don’t worry.” -Juleka also winked at her. –“Hey, Alya!”

“Hey, girls. I didn’t know you were with Marinette.” -Alya said.

“Hey, Alya. Yes, we kinda bumped into her a few minutes ago.” -Rose told her.

“You don’t say?” -Alya chuckled. –“I’m sorry I didn’t come right away, but you wouldn’t believe the trouble that it was to get me some black garlic for my mother. I went to 5 different gourmet shops, and can you believe it? None of them had any black garlic.”

“Your mom is doing some of her famous black garlic hamburgers for dinner tonight?”

“Not anymore, since I couldn’t find any.” -Alya said. –“Oh, well, what can we do about it?” -she shrugged.

“Hmm… me and Juleka were going to get a snack at that café over there. Would you girls like to come with us?” -Rose asked Alya and Marinette.

“You know what? After all this shopping, I could go for a croissant and a large iced tea.” -Alya declared. –“Let’s go, Marinette?”

“Right behind you.” -Marinette waved her head, as she got up from the bench.

“Great. This way, I can also share with you girls an idea I’ve been having for a blog.” -Alya told them. –“You’re going to love it…”            

* * *

Alix had just come back from one of her craziest jogs ever, and was desperately needing a glass of water and a shower. Unlike most joggers, Alix jogged with her rollerblades on. For her, it was not about running around, but more of sliding around. Not only did she manage to cover a lot more ground by using her rollerblades, but it also gave her an extra excuse to practice her rollerblade stunts. She usually did that early in the morning, but she fell asleep and only woke up when it was striking 11 o’clock. Putting on her training gear, she was determined to make up for having stayed in bed until late. And so she did. On that particular day, she beat her personal best. She was feeling super tired, but also super proud of herself. On top of it, she had come up with a new stunt trick that she would have to ask Nino or Kim to film her, when one of them had the time. Climbing the stairs,  it was half past 13, when she opened the door and entered her house, dropping her rollerblades on the floor, and making her way into the kitchen. Opening the cupboard, she took a glass and quickly filled with icy water for the fridge. Gulping it down in one quick gulp, she filled a second one and drank it in the same way.

“Whoa, I was really thirsty.” -Alix said, as she placed the glass in the kitchen sink. –“Hello, is anyone home?” -she asked out loud.

Since she heard nothing, Alix assumed she was alone at house. She then remembered that her father had a meeting at the Louvre that morning, and her mother had to do some shopping. But, she could not remember if her brother had to be somewhere that morning. She called him, but got no answer. Still, knowing how Jalil was, she decided to go and see if he was in his bedroom. Knocking on the door, she called for him. Not getting an answer, she opened the door very slowly to not disturb him, if he was in there asleep.

Jalil was in his room, but he was at his desk, focused on his work. It was not the first-time Alix found her older brother like that, but it always surprised her how he was able to get so focused on what he was doing, that he would forget the rest of the world existed. Approaching him slowly, she tapped him on the shoulder, which made him snap back to reality.

“W-What?! Oh, it’s you, Alix…” -Jalil sighed deeply.

“I’ve called you like four times, and you didn’t answer. If I was a burglar, I could’ve just walked in and take everything I wanted with me, that you wouldn’t even notice.” -Alix told him.

“I’m sorry, but you know how I am.”

“I know, I know. How long have you been up?” -she asked him, noticing his bed was made.

“How long? I don’t know, but if you’re asking me if I had any sleep, the answer is no.” -Jalil said, as he observed the multiple pictures he had on his desk with the use of a magnifying glass. –“I’ve got to finish deciphering this for the investigation.”

“Investigation?”

“Yeah, these here are photos of the base of one the statues that got blown up in the terrorist attack last week.”

“And what does that have to do with you? I thought you were an archaeologist, not a police officer.” -Alix chuckled.

“Laugh all you want, but this is important.”

“How so?”

“Well, when the police began to investigate what happened, dad told them about the new statue that was to be on display and how it contained something carved on its base, they conjured the theory that it might hold some sort of clue as to who did it… I doubt about it, but, dad told me to complete the translation, and that’s what I’ve been doing these last few days.”

“And have you been able to translate it?”

“With the help of a friend from the Ancient China department, I managed to come up with a reasonable translation to it, but… well, it’s anything but useful.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s not 100 percent exact, but… do you see these characters here? This one here stands for moonlight, and this one here for statue, while one is for curse. This one can be interpreted as broken, and this one here stands for disaster.” -he pointed out to his sister.

“That doesn’t sound very inviting.”

“And it doesn’t… roughly translated, this text here roughly stands for “If moonlight hits the statue, the curse will be broken, disaster will sweep the Earth and evil shall reign supreme.”

“That sounds like one of those curses the Egyptians placed at the entrance of a pharaoh’s tomb.”

“Not exactly. Egyptian curses usually cursed those who dared to enter the tomb by cursing them both in life and the afterlife. This one here is more like a warning taken from a comic book or a horror movie.” -Jalil said. –“It’s both fascinating and incredibly unrealistic at the same time. I’m even afraid of showing this to dad, because he might think that I came up with this crazy translation because I felt that the original one was not interesting enough…”

“That’s what you get when you’re such a fan of crazy theories, big bro.” -Alix chuckled.

“You’re not helping…”

“Sorry. But tell me one thing, what does this insignia stands for? You haven’t talked about it yet.”    

“Oh, that one… that one is a complete mystery.” -he said. –“My friend says that there isn’t anything in the Chinese mythology that resembles it. I mean, it’s pretty much a circle with several other circles in it, fourteen to be precise.”

“Maybe it’s a constellation?”

“If it is, it’s not one of the known ones… no. Whatever this insignia stands for, it’s a complete mystery.” -Jalil told her, as he placed the magnifying glass on the desk, exhausted. –“I just wished I could just finish this, so I could go back to my real occupation.”

“Oh, you mean translating that old stone tablet they found in Luxor? The one that you have a poster of right in that wall over there?” -Alix chuckled, pointing at it.

“That’s the one. Everyone, including dad thinks that I’m obsessed with it, but I’m not. I know that that tablet has some big mystery that is just waiting to be unravelled.” -Jalil said. –“I mean, look at it. It has those strange figures, each one of them different from the previous one, and they don’t match any kind of figure seen in Egyptian mythology.”

“You really believe that there’s a big story behind those figures, don’t you?”

“Yes, and I’m going to figure it out, sooner or later.” –

“Well, good luck in finding out who are these guys, especially this one here that has spots all over her body, this one that seems it has cat ears, and this one that looks like it’s wearing… I don’t know, dragonfly wings, maybe?” -Alix giggled.

“They look a little funny, some of them, I admit it.” -Jalil chuckled a little.

“Well, while you go back to work, or decide to take a little nap, and I really tell you that you should do the last one, because you really look like you need a nap, I’m going to take a shower and put on some clean clothes, okay?” -Alix told him.

“I really shouldn’t go to sleep with work still to do, but…” -Jalil yawned. –“… maybe a little nap will help.” -he said, as he took off his glasses and got up from his chair, only to fall on his bed and start snoring.

Alix giggled, as she grabbed turned off the desk’s lamp and walked out of the room as quietly as possible, not to wake him up.

“Sweet dreams, bro.” -she whispered to Jalil, as she closed the door behind her.  

* * *

Nathaniel had a rough night, filled with insomnias. He tried to sleep, but no matter how many times he tossed and turned in his bed, he simply could not fall asleep. So it was no surprise when he started to almost fall asleep, while doing something else, during the rest of the day. After lunch, he was feeling even sleepier than before and all he could think about was sleeping. But he knew that if slept through the afternoon, he would not be able to sleep at night. Trying to fight that urge, he focused on his favourite hobby, drawing.

He had been working on a comic book for the past months, and he felt that drawing a few more pages would keep him awaken. The comic told the story of a superhero, based on himself, who possessed the ability to bring his drawings to life. Some of his friends were also in the comic, being either allies of his hero, or villains. For example, in the comic, Max was a villain known as the Gamer, who can control a shape-shifting robot, while Alya was a villainess called Lady-WiFi who can teleport using cell phones and antennas, just to name two. He had plans to use every one of his friends in the comic, but he still had not figured which of the remaining ones he was turning into villains, and which ones he was turning into allies.

But, for some reason, on that afternoon, he was just not feeling it. He drew the same page over and over, but it never came out as he wanted to. After a while, he just stopped and cursed himself on that art block that prevented him from achieving what he wanted to draw.

“I just can’t seem to make this one work… when it’s not the background, it’s one of the characters.” -he procrastinated.

Closing his eyes for a few seconds, he tried to visualize the whole scene he was trying to draw in his mind, paying attention to the details he wanted to put in it. Nathaniel usually did that when he needed to concentrate hard on something. Opening his eyes, he picked up his pencil and began to sketch once more. This time though, everything came out has he wanted it to. Pleased with the result, he kept sketching. Soon he had done 10 new pages done, and felt like he could go on forever doing that. When he finally placed his pencil down to evaluate what he had done, he felt like he was on top of the world. Never something like that had happened to him, while drawing.

“ _This looks great. I can hardly believe I did these._ ” -he looked through the pages. –“ _There are really good… it almost feels like the characters are moving on their own._ ”

The more he looked at them, the more alive they seemed. And then, he saw something that shocked him. One of the characters, the one that was based on Sabrina, who was the hero’s girlfriend, seemed to move, waving back at him.

“W-What?!” -Nathaniel exclaimed. –“Did she just waved at me?”

Thinking that it was his eyes playing tricks on him, he decided to ignore it. Wanting to review his work once more he went back to the first page he drew that day, only to find it in blank. Shocked, he wondered if he had grabbed a blank sheet by mistake, only to end up even more shocked, when he saw that all the sheets he had drawn were now blank.

“What the… but these… there are all blank!” -he exclaimed. –“Did I imagine that I drew these?”

“No, you did not imagine it. You did draw them… but only in your dream.” -he voice was heard.

Startled by that unknown voice, Nathaniel almost feel down from his chair. Looking around, he tried to see where the voice had come from. Then, from under the door, a bright light appeared. Feeling impelled to investigate it, Nathaniel went to the door. Placing his hand on the doorknob, he slowly turned it, opening the door in an almost slow-motion move. What he saw then, made him absolutely sure that he was really dreaming. Where there was supposed to be the hallway of his house, was now a square room with beige walls and wooden floor. The furniture in it was ancient and Asian-like. Hanging on the walls were numerous ancient scrolls. And in its centre, was a tall hooded figure. Its dark robe covered its face, making it impossible to see its face.

“It’s official, I’m dreaming and this is a dream.” -Nathaniel thought to himself.   

“A dream it may be, but does that make what you see or hear, any less real?”

“How did you do that?! D-Did you just read my mind?!” -Nathaniel exclaimed, forgetting for a second that he was in a dream, and everything is possible when in a dream.

“Yes, I have… although, it’s not much of a challenge, since this is a dream, where everything is possible. Don’t you agree, Nathaniel?” -the hooded figure asked him.

“How do you know my name? Who are you and what do you want? Is this really a dream?” -Nathaniel asked, as he started to panic.

“In due time, everything will be revealed. The time is approaching and when it does, you must follow the crystal’s light.”

“What?”

“Follow the crystal’s light.” -the hooded figure repeated. –“Follow the crystal’s light.”

Then, suddenly, Nathaniel woke with a startle. He was back in his room. It seemed like he had fallen asleep in front of the desk. He tried to catch his breath, as if he had been running. Determined to see if that was not a dream, he got up from his chair, went to the door and opened it. This time, what laid in front of him was the hall, and not the mysterious room he had been in his dream.

“I’m not dreaming anymore…” -he said, relieved. –“Still, that was one crazy dream. And once more that hooded figure was in it; only this time it talked. But what did it mean with all that crazy talk?”

With that question, still in his mind, Nathaniel decided that the best thing for him to do was to go out and breathe some fresh air to clear his mind. Still, if he had paid attention to his desk, just before he left, the crystal that he had brought with him from the cave he and his school friends found that night glowed for a brief second.


	7. Call of the Strongest

Night fell upon the city of Paris, and though some parts of it fell silent for the night, others were getting ready to come to life. One of such places was Hawk Moth’s lair. During the day, only Reptile and Madame Romani could be seen roaming around. The two of them had received their abilities not long ago, and before Hawk Moth required their talents, they needed to learn how to use them. So, they spent their time perfecting them, as much as they could. While they did this, Hawk Moth spent his time locked in his private chamber. The inside of his chamber looked very much like the rest of the lair, with the exception that it was furnished with a more luxurious furniture and at its centre, there was a large glass dome, where hundreds of tiny black butterflies kept swarming around. But these were no regular butterflies. These were Akuma butterflies. Hawk Moth used them to infect people to do his bidding, but they could also be used to create a large army of scouts, which could take an enormous array of forms, to match one’s needs.

“Yes, my pretty akuma butterflies… soon, I’ll unleash you.” -he said, as his gloved fingers touched the delicate glass. –“I know you want out, so you can spread your evil, I know… but we must be patient.”

Hawk Moth had used a drastic amount of his power to create that small army of akuma butterflies, and was now slightly weak. Still, that would only be temporary, because for each person to do his bidding, he absorbed part of its evil essence, which provided him magical sustenance. Right then, the only ones who could do that for him were Reptile and Madame Romani, but by using their talents to scout for potential members of his future army, he predicted that soon his power would be as great as it was, before his downfall two centuries before, when he was turned into a stone statue.

“ _Last time, I was robbed off my triumph. But this time, not even God himself will stop me from being victorious. That, is a promise…_ ” -he thought to himself. 

Leaving his quarters, he found both Reptile and Madame Romani waiting for him. The looks on their faces revealed that they were both impatient about something.

“Master, we’ve been in this lair for days now.” -Madame Romani said.

“When will we be able to go outside?” -Reptile asked Hawk Moth. The way he talked, it was clear that he was anxious to make use of his new abilities.

“When I see fit!” -Hawk Moth exclaimed. –“The time isn’t right. We need to wait for the right moment to act.”

Of course, that was not the reason why he still had not sent them to do his bidding, but he was not going to tell them the real reason. He was not going to tell them that at that moment, he was too weak to do whatever it was. And in order to accomplish his goal of finding someone or something that he could use as a means to spread his influence, he was going to need his full strength. The last thing he wanted was to show any kind of weakness in front of his minions.   

“But master, you promised me that I could have my revenge on those that treated me like trash.” -Reptile said. –“Can’t I at least go out to see where some of those people are, so I know where to strike first, when I have the chance? Please?” -he practically begged his master.

“No.” -Hawk Moth replied in a cold tone. –“You’ll go out when I say you can, and until then, you will remain here.

“Yes, master.”

After those words, there was silence in the lair. That is, until Madame Romani broke it, to ask a question that had been bothering her, ever since Hawk Moth had given her a new purpose in life.

“Master, please, do not get mad from what I’m about to ask you.” -she reverely begged. –“Do not think that I am not thankful for what you did for me, but, I must ask you this. What is your true purpose? I do understand that you wish to be the new master of this world, but why?”

Hawk Moth did not answer right away. In his mind, he tried to come up with the words to describe in lay terms what is true purpose was, so that Madame Romani would understand. While doing it so, he made his way to the liqueur cabinet that existed near him, and poured himself a chalice of Port wine.

“How can I explain this to you? Have you ever asked yourself why people say that love is the strongest feeling in existence?” -he asked her, as he sipped the wine.

“I’m afraid, I haven’t, master.” -Madame Romani confessed.

“Well, then let me tell you that those who say such a thing, are absolutely wrong about it.” -Hawk Moth told her. –“Love is not a strong feeling or emotion. All good feelings like happiness, love, compassion, gratitude, trust… they can all be tainted, while bad feelings and emotions such as rage, hate, horror, disappointment, shame, regret, greed, revenge and others, they cannot be tainted or corrupted, because they are the truest of them all.

“The truest?” -she asked, puzzled with her master’s words.

“Yes, the truest, because no matter what you say, you cannot change their basic nature. Things like hate, greed, revenge and rage can only become stronger with time, and unlike love, which can be put in check if given the chance, these cannot. This makes them the strongest of them all.” -he went on. –“I defend that only those who have embraced and taken control of these dark emotions and feelings are truly the strongest, and in a world of weak and strong, the strongest will always prevail.”

“Then, you want to rule the world, because you are the strongest?”

“In rather lay terms, yes.” -Hawk Moth said. –“The problem is that most people don’t believe that philosophy to be true. They believe that the strong must protect the weak. But, I’m going to change that, and you will help me. You will help me find the strongest individuals, so that my army of darkness can grow and I can make use of this philosophy, to reign supreme.”

“But, what about the weakest? What will happen to them?”

“What will happen to them? Simple, they will either embrace the new world order I’m going to establish when I’m in power, by opening their hearts and souls to the strongest emotions and feelings, or they will be obliterated.” -he said, coldly. –“There is no room for weaklings in my new world.”

“And it will be a magnificent world, then.” -Madame Romani declared.

* * *

Finally, the day of la rentreé arrived. After a well-deserved summer, it was time to go back to school. Most students did not mind having a couple of more days to enjoy the final days of summer, but a small minority was actually glad to go back to classes. Although going to school meant the end of being able to sleep until the afternoon, the end of an endless amount of free time and the end of many kinds of freedom, it also meant some good things, like being able to see old friends and learn new things.

Outside Françoise Dupont, the students began to gather in front of its doors almost an hour before the bell. Some arrived b bus, while others just arrived by their own feet. And there were others that were driven to school, like Sabrina, who grabbed a lift from her father in his police car. As he parked the car, he said:

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come and pick you up later, Sabrina?” -Lt- Raincomprix asked.

“No, dad, that won’t be necessary. After class, I’m going to spend some time with Chloé back at the hotel, and then I’ll head home.” -Sabrina told him, as she checked her backpack to see if she had brought everything she needed.

“Okay, but you know that if you need anything…”

“You’re one phone call away. I know, dad.” -she smiled. –“Well, I think I’ve got everything. Thanks for giving me a lift, dad.”

“Anything for you, pumpkin.” -Lt. Raincomprix said, as he gave his daughter a hug. –“Have a great day.”

“I’ll be sure to have it. See ya tonight!” -Sabrina waved her father goodbye, as she exited the car.

But, not everyone that was being dropped off could say that they were off to a good start. Adrien Agreste had had one of his typical mornings, and he was feeling blue on account of it.

(Flashback)

_After getting ready for his first day of classes, Adrien went down to have breakfast. When he opened the dining room’s door, he saw it as deserted as always. His father was nowhere in sight. It looked like he was going to have breakfast alone, once more. Sighing, he took a seat at his usual place and helped himself to a bowl of his favourite cereal. He was halfway through it, when someone knocked at the door. It was Nathalie, and she was holding a few papers on her hands, as well as a little envelope. The envelope had his father’s seal, and right away, Adrien knew that it was for him. Whenever his father wanted to tell him something important, but was not able to be present, he would either record a message for him, which Nathalie would then deliver, or he would write him a letter._

_“Good morning, Adrien.”_

_“Good morning, Nathalie. Is that for me?”_

_“Yes, your father told me to hand you this when you came down for breakfast.” -Nathalie said as she handed him the envelope._

_Opening it, Adrien read it._

_“Adrien. I’m sorry I can’t be there to wish you a happy first day of school, but something came up that required my total attention. I hope you have a good day of school, and we’ll see each other at dinner. Love, dad.”_

_“Well, at least this time he says he’ll be home for dinner.” -Adrien sighed, not really believing it. Even though his father made numerous promises to be present, most of the times, his work prevented him from doing it so._

_“Let me remind you that this afternoon, after school you have a photoshoot in front of the Arc de Triomphe.”_

_“Another one.” -Adrien thought to himself. –“Is it one with my casual clothes, or does my dad want me to wear something from his new collection?”_

_“I’m afraid I don’t have that information.” -Nathalie said, as she looked through the papers._

_“Doesn’t really matter. A photoshoot is a photoshoot.” -Adrien sighed, knowing how boring it was going to be, with him having to do a perfect smile for the camera, like he always did._

_“Why don’t you take one of your friends with you, to keep you company?” -Nathalie suggested. –“I know just how stressful those photoshoots can be, and having someone to give you support always helps.”_

_“Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea… maybe I could ask Nino to come.” -Adrien thought. –“I’ll think about it.”_

_“Well, then, if you need anything else before you go to school, just let me know.”_

_“I think I’ve got everything ready, Nathalie. But thanks for asking.”_

_“My pleasure, oh, and before I forget, have a splendid first day of school.” -she said, to which Adrien replied with a light smile._

(End of flashback)  

Exiting from the car, Nino waved at him.

“Hey, Adrien! Ready to get back into the torture chamber?” -Nino joked.

“If by torture chamber, you mean classroom, then yeah, I am.” –Adrien told him.

“And even if you weren’t, you wouldn’t have any other option, am I right?” -Nino kept joking, as he and Adrien walked in the direction of the rest of the class gang, –“By the way, everyone has made a bet, if you want to join in.”

“A bet? What kind of bet?”

“A bet to see if Marinette manages to get here on time, or not.” -Nino told him. –“I bet that she’s not going to make it. Chloé, Kim, Alix and Ivan have also bet against her. The rest bet on favour of her. The only ones’ left are Sabrina and you, though I predict that she’s going to say she’s betting that Marinette won’t make it on time, just to be on Chloé’s good graces.” -he laughed.

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” -Adrien said.

“What about you? Are you going to bet on favour or against her?” -Nino asked him. –“There’s no shame in admitting the girl you like can’t arrive on time.” -he whispered to him in a joke.

“Well, just for that, I’m going to say that she’s going to make it on time. What are we betting?”

“Lunch, or better, lunches. Those who win, will have the losers pay their lunch for today.” -Nino said.

“Then you better start thinking about how much money you’re going to spend, because my girl is going to show up on time.” -Alya said, as she approached the guys, and placed her arms around Nino’s shoulders. –“Don’t worry, I won’t bankrupt you.” -she smiled.

“Alya, you know that you’re the prettiest girl I know…” -Nino flirted with her. –“… but there’s no way Marinette will get here on time. You know how she is.” -he said.

Alya knew just how her best friend was. Marinette had lots of qualities, but punctuality was not one of them. Still, they had both talked about how Marinette wanted to change that, and she believed that she would make it on time that morning, even if it was just with a couple of seconds to spare.

“Well, she still has 20 minutes before the bell rings, I’d say that’s a lot of time.” -Alya flirted back with him, sowing just how much she believed in Marinette.  

Minutes went by. When the gates finally opened and all the students entered the courtyard, the clock showed that there was only 5 minutes before the bell rang, and Marinette was nowhere in sight. Those who had bet in her favour were starting to believe they would have to pay the lunch to those who bet against her.

“Do you think it’s still too late to change our bets?” -Mylene asked Nathaniel, who was by her side.

“I was thinking the same thing.” -Nathaniel told her, as he checked his watch. –“It’s almost time, and she’s not here yet.”

Nathaniel had just finished his sentence, when the blue-haired girl came

“You owe me lunch, Nino.” -Alya flirted at him.

“Yeah, yeah, okay, so she made it.” -Nino said, accepting his defeat.

“No, what do you know? Marinette actually made it on time.” -Alix chuckled.

Gathering around their exhausted friend, they waited for Marinette to catch her breath back before saying anything. She was used to sprinting, but on that morning, getting to school on time was a nearly impossible feat, because she was carrying the box of macarons in her hands. When she finally caught her breath back, she saw everyone with their eyes on her.

“W-What?”

“You made it on time.” -Max said.

“I did. But why are you saying that?” -Marinette asked, puzzled.

“It’s because we made a bet, and…” -Nino said.

Nino told her everything about it, and Marinette could hardly believe her friends

“You made a bet if I was going to arrive before or after the bell rang?!” -Marinette said, slightly shocked.

“Yeah, well…”

“I don’t know if I should feel thankful or offended…” -Marinette told them.  

“Come on, don’t get mad. What matters is that you got here on time.” -Juleka told her.

“Although, I bet that the reason why you practically walked in here like you were an arrow, was because you spaced out and lost track of time, right?” -Alya teased her.

“I didn’t space out.” -she lied.

(Flashback)

_Marinette had woken up early to get ready for school. Since she was little, she had the nasty habit to always arrive late at class, mostly because she was a heavy sleeper and her mother had to help her get ready. This went on until last year, and this year, she wanted to start anew. One of her new school year resolutions was to always arrive on time at school, and to do that, she woke up earlier. After getting ready, she grabbed a croissant and a glass of milk for breakfast. With time to spare, she turned on her laptop and checked out her email, Facebook page and most of the webpages she had in her favourites for new updates._

_“I wonder if I have time to finish watching that anime I’ve been dying to watch?” -she asked herself, as she checked the clock. She still had 45 minutes, more than enough time to watch at least 2 episodes. –“Let’s do it.”_

_As she clicked on the website, she remembered that she should not leave, without taking with her a box of macarons she confectioned with the help of her father the previous night, for her friends. While confectioning them, she put an extra dosage of love and care. Her parents had taught her that if she wanted anything to taste especially good, she needed to add an extra dosage of love and care, because it made all the difference. And for her friends, all the love and care in the world were never enough, especially since she wanted to share one of the macarons with Adrien._

_“I wonder if Adrien will like them?” -she asked herself._

_Instantly, she began to daydream about the moment when she would hand Adrien of the macarons, and he would split it into two and hand over the other half to her. They would then eat it, and Adrien would praise her on how delicious it was, and if he could have another one._

_“Oh, Adrien, you can have all of them, if you want to.” -she giggled, as she kept thinking about it._

_“Marinette! Marinette!” -a voice was heard, snapping her back to reality. It was her mother calling her. –“Marinette, hurry up or you’re going to be late!”_

_“Don’t worry, mom, I’ve got time, it’s only… Oh MY GOSH!!!! I’m gonna be late!!!” -Marinette exclaimed, with her hands on her head, as she realized that she had lost the track of time… again._

_Jumping out of her chair, she quickly grabbed her things, and made her way to the trapdoor that gave her access to the rest of the house. Going down the stairs as fast as she could, she passed by her mother, who waved her head, wondering how could Marinette lose track of time that early in the morning._

_“Marinette! Aren’t you forgetting something?” -Sabine asked her daughter._

_“Oh, yes!” -Marinette went back and kissed her mother. –“See you later, mom!”_

_“That wasn’t what I was talking about, but thank you.” -Sabine chuckled, as she grabbed her daughter by the arm. –“I was talking about the thing that you and your father made last night, so you could take to your friends at school. Don’t tell me you forgot about it?”_

_“Oh, the macarons!” -Marinette said, slapping herself on the head for forgetting about it. –“Where are they, mom?”_

_“There are right over there.” -Sabine pointed to a pink box on top of a nearby layover._

_“Thanks, mom.” -she said, as she grabbed the box, and start going down the stairs. –“I can’t believe I’m going to be late on the first day of school!”_

(End of flashback)

“Right, and we’re going to believe you.” -Alya chuckled.

“It’s true. Besides, I told myself that I was going to make a grand entrance today, and what is more grand than showing up 2 minutes before the bell ring?” -Marinette joked, still trying to cover up for the fact that she had lost track of time for the umpteenth time. –“And you better believe what I’m saying, otherwise, you won’t get what I brought you.” -she said with a naughty voice.

“Okay, okay, okay, you didn’t space out or lost track of time.” -Alya played along. –“So, what did you bring us?”

“A little something, I made yesterday, with my dad…” -she said, as she opened the box, revealing the delicious multi-coloured treats.

“Macarons!” –Rose exclaimed.

“Yup, I made them for everyone.” -Marinette said. –“So go on, don’t be shy. We better eat them before the bell rings and we have to go into Miss Bustier’s class.” -she smiled.

And so, they did it. They all grabbed at least two from the box, because they knew just how delicious they were. When it came to Adrien’s turn to take one from the box, Marinette decided to be the one to handle them to him. Blushing lightly, she said:

“You should really try these ones, Adrien.” -Marinette smiled, as she handed him one of strawberry and one of blueberry.

“Thanks.” -he told her. –“But what about you? Aren’t you going to eat one?”

“W-Well…”

“Here, we’ll split this one.” -he said, as he broke the blueberry macaron in two, and handed half to Marinette, who smiled back.

“I can’t believe it!!! He gave me half of his macaron!!! Oh, God, if this is a dream, don’t wake me up now.” -she thought as she grabbed it, and her fingers touched his’ for a split second.

“Marinette? Marinette?! Are you okay?” -Adrien called her, as she spaced out for the second time that morning.

“W-What, what?” -Marinette said, a little lavish by it.

“I asked if you were okay?”

“Fine, fine, I’m fine…” -Marinette giggled nervously. Every time she was near Adrien, her brain shut down, and she did not know what to do or what to say.

“There are delicious, as always.” -Adrien told her.

“T-Thanks.” -Marinette giggled. –“ _Oh my God, just tell him how you feel about him! Just say, Adrien, I’m in love with you! It’s not that hard!_ ” -she told herself.

But, when she was about to say it, the bell rang, and Marinette lost the nerve to tell Adrien how she felt about him; all because of a stupid bell.

“Guess we better go.” -Adrien said.

“Y-Yes, we should.” -Marinette smiled. –“ _I almost told him… curse that stupid bell!_ ” -she thought to herself.

* * *

While heading back home after classes, Marinette stopped a couple of times during the way to appreciate the fact that the day had been one of the best she ever had. From sharing a macaron with Adrien, to hearing Chloé apologize to her at lunch for accidently going against her, something the blonde never did to anyone, Marinette could still hardly believe the day she had had. It had been the best first day of school ever, and something deep inside of her kept telling her that tomorrow was going to be even better.

“ _I don’t know why, but I feel like I went down the rabbit hole and ended up in an alternate version of reality, where everything turns out perfectly… well, not entirely perfect, but, I mean, Adrien and I shared a moment, Chloé apologized to me… Chloé, the queen bitch herself apologized to me! She never did that before! I don’t know what went through her head, but if she starts acting like this from now on, I’m even willing to start talking to her._ ” -Marinette mused, as she looked at the Seine. –“ _Maybe this is a sign that this new school year is going to be… fantastic, yeah, that’s the word for it._ ”

Unknown to Marinette, that year was going to be fantastic, and she was about to find out just how fantastic it really was going to be.


	8. The Night that Everything Changed

After dinner, Marinette went to her bedroom and called Alya over the phone. She needed to talk to her and tell her everything that was going through her mind right then. While she waited for her best friend to pick up, she looked around her room and thought just how everything in it was her. She had decorated it herself and picked the furniture too, two years before. It was a pain in the neck to find the perfect bed, because she had envisioned it one way, and was determined to have it that same way. Before that, she slept in a room downstairs, next to her parents’ master bedroom. But, because the room was rather small, she convinced them to let her move to the attic. Tom and Sabine both agreed, provided Marinette could keep it tidy. And now, that was her safe haven, a place where she could just relax and find the inspiration to create her fashion pieces.  

“Hey, girl! What’s up?” -Alya asked.

“Nothing much… I just wanted to talk to you. Did I call you at a bad time?” -Marinette asked her.

“No, not all. I just finished helping my mom in the kitchen and I was going to work on my secret project.”

“You mean that blog of yours? Have you decided the theme of it?”

“Not yet. I mean, I want it to be something extraordinary, something that hasn’t been done yet… but I can’t even come up with a proper name for it!” -Alya sighed

“You’ll find the right one, eventually.” -Marinette told her. –“Why don’t you ask Nino for help? After all, he’s not only your boyfriend, he’s also a terrific DJ. Maybe you could do a blog about music.”

“I don’t know...” -Alya laughed. –“I mean, it’s not a bad idea, but he’s the music expert, not me.”

The two of them started talking about what had happened in school that day, especially the part when Marinette almost told Adrien the truth about her feelings for him, and the way Chloé was behaving.

“I mean, tell me the truth, did that seemed like the Chloé we know?” -Marinette asked her.

“Definitely not. She was being nice towards everybody! She usually isn’t this nice towards no one, not even Sabrina on most days.” -Alya commented. –“I know this is going to sound super cheesy, Marinette, but my journalist sense is tingling. She’s up to something, I just don’t know what.”

“You don’t think she’s putting on a good girl act, so she can gather supporters for the election of class’ representative, do you?” -Marinette asked her. –“I mean, she tried to run for it last year, when I won.”

“It’s possible, but I don’t see her putting on an act just so she can win; I mean, that’s what she does sometimes, but this time… call me crazy, but I think she was really honest when she apologized to you.” -Alya said. She had noticed it, because she was right next to Marinette when the blonde did that. –“Not only that, when Kim almost tripped during P.E. class, she went to see if he was okay. Usually, she wouldn’t even mind if he had hurt himself.”

“Could she be trying to turn over a new leaf?” -Marinette asked. –“And before you say, “Nah, this is Chloé Bourgeois, the mayor’s daughter; Miss “I am too important to do my homework myself.”, let’s remember what happened when Juleka came to our school. You do remember, don’t you?”

Alya remembered like it had happened yesterday. Two years before, Juleka had been transferred to Françoise Dupont in the middle of October. When she showed up for the first time, everyone in class either did not want to have anything to do with her, because of the way she dressed and acted, or felt that she was just unfriendly and unpleasant, because she never talked to anyone and just kept it to herself. It was only when Rose, who would become her best friend, decided that she wanted to get to know her better, before passing any judgement, that they found out that Juleka was not unfriendly or unpleasant, but in fact, she was quite shy and was afraid the others did not like her because of her alternate style. When they found out about it, they agreed that they had judged her before getting to know her. In the end, everything worked out okay and Juleka became an important friend to them all.  

“Yeah, I remember it, and I know what you’re saying. We can’t rush to conclusions, before knowing the whole story.” -Alya sighed. –“have I ever told you that you would make a wonderful journalist?”

“Can’t remember right now, but I better leave the journalism to you.” -Marinette said.  

“Thanks, and as for Chloé, guess we’ll just have to wait and see… or better yet, we’ll have to wait and see what I can find out about it. Starting tomorrow, I’m going to get to the bottom of what’s going on with Chloé.”  -Alya said, confident that she would find out.

“Now, there’s the Alya Césaire I know and love.”

“Speaking of love, we have to talk about what happened between you and Adrien today…” -Alya giggled.  

The girls talked for at least an hour, when they were interrupted by Alya’s dad, telling her that he needed help with something. Saying goodbye to Alya, she ended the call, and then looked at the clock in the wall. It was still too early for her to go to bed, and even if she wanted to go, she had energy to spare. Looking around, she tried to figure out what to do until it was time to go to bed. It was when her eyes were hovering her desk that Marinette noticed her bead kit, which she used to create new bracelets. She had wanted to take it with her to Marseille during the holidays, but it ended being one of those things she forgot to pack. Thinking on how a new bead bracelet would be the perfect accessory for her to wear during the first days of the new school year, Marinette decided that she was going to craft at least until it was time to go to bed. 

Sating at the desk, she opened the kit and quickly organized the beads she had by colour and size. The variety was quite little and she made a mental note to buy more when she had the time. She ended up choosing red and black beads for the new bracelet, but something inside her told her that just regular beads were not going to be enough for that little craft project of hers. That new bracelet needed something else to become extra special. It was then that she remembered about the crystal she had brought with her from the cave. Taking it out of the drawer she had placed it in, she was going to use it in the

“Now, how am I going to put you in it?”

She thought about using a very tiny drill in it, so she could pass it through the thread, but she was afraid that the crystal might shatter. So instead, she decided to gently glue it onto a small base, and use that base as the centre piece of the bracelet. As it always happened whenever she began an art or fashion project, Marinette lost track of time. When she finally finished, it was almost midnight. Feeling pretty satisfied with what she had done, she decided that she would wear it the next day.

“Well, that’s that.” -she said, as she stretched out, with the tiredness finally taking over her. –“I better go to bed, or tomorrow I won’t be able to wake up.”

Putting on her pyjamas, she went down to the living room and gave her parents a goodnight’s kiss. Already in bed, she pulled up the covers and closed her eyes, thinking of nice things, so she would have nice dreams. Not long after it, Marinette was sound asleep, and her mind had already entered the land of dreams.

She dreamed of being back at the holiday camp with her friends. It was night, and they were all around the campfire roasting marshmallows. There was a light breeze in the air, and Marinette could hear the crickets singing. And next to her, was Adrien. He was holding her hand and smiling. She could not believe just how lucky she was. The boy of her dreams, Adrien… her Adrien, was right there with her, and that made her really happy.

“Thank you, Marinette.” -Adrien said.

“F-For what?” -she asked him.

“For telling me how you really felt about me.” -he answered. –“If you hadn’t tell me that you also like me, I would probably never have the courage to do this.”

Leaning forward, Adrien gently kissed her on the lips. Marinette went into shock for just a second, as their lips touched, and with that her heart melted. She could hardly believe what was happening. The handsomest boy in school, the boy she loved, Adrien Agreste had just kissed her. When they broke the kiss, Marinette smiled, and thought of what to say next.

But then, she noticed something. Adrien was wearing his usual clothes, and not the holiday camp’s uniform like her. Plus, all of her friends had disappeared. It was just the two of them there… it did not take long for her to know what was really going on. That was a dream, just a dream. She was dreaming about a moment that could have happened, but still had to, thanks to her fear of Adrien not linking her.

“Sorry, Adrien, but this is just a dream. I never told you about my real feelings for you… I still have though.” -Marinette sighed, after realizing the whole situation.

“It’s okay. Still, it’s your dream. Just because I’m not the real Adrien, that doesn’t mean we can’t keep talking.”

“I’d like that.” -Marinette said. Even though that was only a dream and he was not the real Adrien, she was determined to make the best out of that. –“Do you think I could…”

“Kiss me again? Like I said, it’s your dream.”

“Then…”

Marinette leaned to kiss him once more, when he disappeared, and she saw herself alone, in front of the campfire. The wind started to blow harder. A gust of wind forced Marinette to cover her face with her right arm, as the fire in front of her turned from red and orange to purple and black. And then, a wicked laugh was heard. The fire assumed the shape of a black butterfly, which kept growing and growing.

Screaming in fear, Marinette tried to run from it, only to fall on the ground with the horrible butterfly almost on top of her. And then, the butterfly dissipated into a cloud of smoke, and the only thing left standing where it had been a few seconds before was a tall hooded figure, who pointed a finger at Marinette.

“The time has come, follow the crystal’s light.” -the hooded figure said.

“What?” -Marinette asked.

“The time has come, follow the crystal’s light.” -the hooded figure repeated itself.

“What do you mean? What are you talking about?!” -Marinette insisted.

“The time has come, follow the crystal’s light.”

Then, everything started to go black, as Marinette saw herself being swallowed the darkness around it. She tried to scream as she was engulfed by the darkness, but when she did, nothing came out of her mouth. It felt like someone had cut off her tongue. The only thing she could do, as the darkness around her swallowed her whole, was hear the same phrase over and over.

“The time has come, follow the crystal’s light.”  

* * *

Marinette woke up startled, her heart pounding inside her ribcage as if it was going to jump right through it. Taking deep breaths, she tried to slow it down, though it was not easy. The more she tried to, the harder it was, all because of the awful nightmare and the words the mysterious hooded figure in it told her… “The time has come, follow the crystal’s light.” Its words echoed in her mind, and the more she tried to forget it, more vivid they appeared to become.

“It was just a dream, Marinette, it was just dream, a really, really bad dream, but just a dream…” -Marinette told herself. Running her fingers across her forehead, she noticed that she had been sweating. –“Then why is it that I feel like I was there?”

She grabbed her cell phone what was next to her pillow and checked the hours. It was almost 2 in the morning. Then, she saw something that made her even jumpier than she already was. A light glow was coming from the bracelet that she had been doing with the crystal she had brought from the secret cave. Getting out of the bed, she decided to see if she was not imagining things. When she got there, she noticed that the crystal really was glowing.

“Follow the crystal’s light… but how do I follow something that’s glowing?”

And then, when she pointed it slightly to the right, she noticed the glow intensified for a second. Pointing it to the left, the glow became fainter. Pointing it once more to the right, she walked to the window, and the glow became stronger. Not only that, the crystal started to twinkle.

“I think I got it… when I point it in the right direction, its glow gets stronger and begins to twinkle, and then I point in the wrong direction, it does the opposite.” -Marinette told herself. –“But, if this is pointing to somewhere, and I’m supposed to follow it, where will it take me?”

Numerous questions ran though her mind, like why was the crystal doing that, and how was her dream and the mysterious hooded figure linked to it? And more importantly, should she do what the hooded figure told her to do, and if so, where would it lead her? Sating on the chair, she reflected upon the dilemma she had in her hands.

“Should I do it? Should I see where the crystal takes me? It could take me anywhere… and what if I don’t like where it will lead me? What if I’m still dreaming? What should I do?” -Marinette asked herself. –“There’s only way to see if I’m dreaming. I’ll pinch myself.”     

Marinette was always told that there are numerous ways to see if a person is still dreaming, but that the most common way was to pinch oneself and see if it felt pain. If it did, then the person was awake, but if it did not, then the person was still dreaming. Performing that test, she pinched herself on the arm as hard as she could, and she instantly fell pain.

“ _Okay, so I’m not dreaming and this is real._ ” -she admitted to herself. –“But, that means that I still have to decide on whether I should do what I was told in my dream.” -she said hesitantly.

A part of Marinette wanted to do what the mysterious hooded figure in her dream told her to do, but another part of her did not want to. That hooded figure had been appearing to her ever since Nathaniel showed her and her friends the drawing he made of it. She had dreamed of it once or twice, and she thought she had seen it when she was with Rose and Juleka. But this, this was the first time it talked to her; and for some mysterious reason, Marinette felt that wherever that hooded figure was, she felt she was there, physically.

“ _Should I go, or shouldn’t I?_ ” -she asked herself.

Looking at the glowing crystal in the bracelet once more, she decided that if she did not go, she would never find out what was really going on. After all, how many times does a mysterious figure haunts a person’s dreams and then a crystal starts to glow? Those were the things Marinette was thinking about right then. She was quite confused and a little scared with all of that, but, her curiosity was way stronger than her fear and confusion. Swallowing dry, she made up her mind; she was going to do what the hooded figure told her to do.

“ _But I can’t go out looking like this. I have to change into something more inconspicuous._ ” -she told herself, as she removed her pyjamas.

Going to her wardrobe, Marinette grabbed a pair of black pants and a black shirt. Putting them on, she was about to put on her sneakers, when she decided to only put them on, when she was already outside, to not wake up her parents. Grabbing a small backpack, she then placed her sneakers in it, as well as her cell phone and a navy-blue jacket in case she got cold.

Going down the stairs, she moved as slowly as possible, not to make any noise. As she passed by her parent’s bedroom door she hesitated for a minute or so. If she went out, that would mean that if her parents found out about it, she would be in big trouble. What would she tell them to explain her decision of going out in the middle of the night? They would never trust her again, or let her leave home again, except to go to school.

“ _It’s not too late to go back to my room and forget that I’ve ever had this crazy idea… I mean, it was just a bad dream…_ ” -she thought to herself.

Still, once more curiosity got the best of her. Taking a deep breath, she went pass her parents’ bedroom and kept going down the stairs below. Moving as slowly as possible, she made her way to the backdoor. Unlocking it, she opened it and exited. Already outside, the cold breeze made her shiver, as she put on her sneakers. It was too late to go back now. Grabbing the crystal, Marinette started pointing it, waiting for it to start twinkling once more. After a few seconds, it started twinkling again, telling her to go south.     

As she rounded the street and saw herself in front of her parents’ bakery, she looked up to her parent’s bedroom window, which had the curtains closed and thought to herself.

“ _Mom, dad, I’m sorry, but I have to do this… I just hope I don’t regret doing it._ ”

Following the crystal’s twinkling as if it was a GPS, she went down the streets, always looking everywhere, to see if there was someone in them. At that hour of the night, only a couple of vagrants walked down the streets and that scared Marinette, because she did not know what kind of people she might run into.

She had walked about for ten minutes, when she needed to stop to catch her breath. The lack of sleep and the fear of being mugged while walking down the street was making her nervous by the minute. Still, has she passed by the Moulin Rouge, she tried to control her breathing and her fear, by thinking of happy thoughts.

“So far so good, but where is this thing taking me to?” -she asked herself.

Starting to feel colder, Marinette took her jacket from the backpack and put it on. Instantly, she felt warmer and surprisingly safer. Turned out that part of her fear was caused by the cold night air. She was already passing by the Palais Garnier, when she stopped; the crystal stopped twinkling and was now just glowing.

“Could this be the place?” -Marinette asked herself, as she looked at the Palais Garnier.

But then, she noticed, not far from her, a person in the street that seemed to be carrying something that was glowing. Getting behind a kiosk, she looked closely to see who it was; and to her surprise the person was none other than her best friend, Alya. Like Marinette, she was dressed in a more stealthier way, wearing black clothes. Still, the blue-haired girl was still able to recognize her.  

“Alya!!!” -she waved at her friend.

Upon hearing her name, the brunette turned around and to her surprise, she saw Marinette. Waiting for the blue-haired girl to catch up to her, Alya asked her:

“Marinette, what are you doing here?”

“I should ask you the same thing.”

“Trust me, you’re not going to believe me… wait a minute, is that crystal of yours also twinkling?” -Alya asked her, upon noticing her holding it on her hand.

“Don’t tell me yours is also doing that?” -Marinette asked her, intrigued by what was going on.

Deciding to get everything straight, the two friends looked for a place to sit, to talk more calmly. The two of them told each other about the strange dream they had and the message the hooded figure told them.

“You mean it also told you that message?” -Marinette asked Alya.

“Yes. It said “The time had come. Follow the crystal’s light.” -Alya answered her. –“And then, when I woke up, I saw that my crystal was glowing and twinkling like this.” -she showed Marinette the crystal, which was glowing like hers, but instead of glowing with a red light, it was glowing with an orange light.

Talking a little longer, they both asked one another why they had decided to do what the mysterious hooded figure told them, and both answered that they were not quite sure, and that curiosity caught the better of them. They both agreed that all of that was incredibly strange, but they had both their minds made up about going towards the end with that. Noticing that their crystals had begun to twinkle once more, they went on. Now together, the two friends roamed the streets, always watchful for who they saw on the street. Marinette was mainly scared of running into a burglar or someone who could hurt her, while Alya was more concerned about running into a police officer, who, if happened to see one of them, would ask them what they were doing out on the street at a time like that, and ended up dragging to the police precinct and calling their parents.

“How did you manage to get out of house?”

“I had to sneak up by the fire escape.” -she told Marinette, as the rounded the street, still going south. –“The hard part was making sure I didn’t run into my mom on the street. She had a gala at the hotel, and told us that she would come home by 2 or 3 in the mothing.”

“Well, at least you managed to get out of home quite easily. I had to sneak pass my parents’ bedroom and exit through the backdoor of the bakery. It wasn’t easy. I even had to walk barefoot until I reached outside, so I wouldn’t make a noise.” -Marinette told her.

Reaching the Jardin des Tuliéres, the crystals stopped twinkling and forced them to point them in another direction, this time, East. Following the Rue de Rivoli next to the Louvre, the girls had to be more careful because there was still some movement on the streets, with cars going up and down it. Plus, they had to hide at least twice, to avoid the praying eyes of a police officer that was on patrol. Reaching Pont Neuf, the crystals started to twinkle, as if it telling them to cross it to the Íle de la Cité.

“What am I doing here? I’m used to be rational about these things… then why is it that I feel that if I turn around, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life?” -Alya thought to herself, as she and Marinette reached Íle de la Cité.

Already on the island, they kept following the crystals, which led them to the square in front of the western façade of Notre Dame. When they got there, their crystals began to glow as brightly as the sun, forcing them to hide them in Marinette’s backpack. To their surprise, they were not only ones there. Alix and Mylene showed up, and then Max and Nathaniel also appeared. Hiding behind a tree, the girls waved them and told them to come and meet them.

A few minutes after, it was Ivan and Nino who showed up. Juleka and Sabrina were the next, and then it was Rose and Adrien who showed up. Last, but not least, Kim and Chloé showed up. Seeing everyone there, wearing black clothes like they were burglars or something, made them question what was really going on. After all of them gather where Marinette and the others were, they tried to understand why they were there. Just like it happened with Alya and Marinette, they too had been led there by their crystals.

“I’m starting to think that the crystals we brought with us from that cave were not just pretty, but magical too.” -Rose said.

“Rose, there’s no such thing as magic.” -Max told her.

“Then, how do you explain what’s happening with the crystals that we brought, Max?” -Mylene asked him.

“I… I… I don’t know. But there must be a reasonable, not to mention, rational explanation for all of this.” -Max said.

“Rational or not, the fact is that they brought us here, and they are all glowing super bright.” -Adrien told him.

“And each one of them is glowing with a different colour.” -Sabrina said. –“Do you think that means anything?”

“I don’t know. The only thing I do know is that I had a really crazy dream with a hooded figure that has been haunting my dreams for the past few weeks, telling me that the time had come and that I had to follow the crystal’s light, which I think meant my crystal, because it started to glow, leading me here.” -Nathaniel said. –“And you have no idea how hard it was for me to get out of home, without waking my parents.”

“Well, it can’t have been harder than what I had to do to get out of the hotel!” -Chloé shot at him -“I had to trick two security guards and just about everyone from the staff that I ran into, while trying to get out.” -she said with a rather presumptuous voice, showing that though she was doing her best in order to become nicer towards others, Chloé still had a long way to go, especially when under pressure.

“Shut up and get down!” -Alix exclaimed, as she forced Chloé into the ground.

“What are you…” -Chloé asked her, as Alix placed her hand over the blonde’s mouth.

“Don’t talk, or the police officer will see us.” -she told the blonde in a hush.

Following Alix’s lead, every member of Miss Bustier’s class tried to conceal their presence there, by hiding beneath the bushes, or lying on the floor. The police officer was on patrol and took his time checking on the square, before moving on. When he felt that it was safe, Ivan looked up but immediately went back to lying down on the ground, signalling the others that the officer was heading back. Everyone’s senses were on maximum alert, and they were afraid they could be caught at any given moment. Seeing Chloé that nervous, Sabrina held her hand, and winked an eye at her, trying to calm her down.   

As the officer passed by where they were, they felt like they were about to be caught red-handed. Nino, who was couched against one of the bushes, accidently broke a twig, alerting the police officer, who decided to investigate. Holding their breath, they all readied themselves to get busted, when Adrien did something.

“Meow.”

Hearing that, the officer assumed it was just a cat and went back to his patrol. Only when he rounded the corner, did everyone dared to breathe normally again. If it had not been for Adrien, they might have been caught.

“Bro, that was a sweet move.” -Nino told Adrien.

“How did you think of that?” -Kim asked him.

“I used to watch a lot of comedies, and well, the trick of a cat meowing was the first thing that came to mind.” -Adrien admitted, still a little shaken by that whole experience. –“Glad it worked out.” -he thought.

“Adrien, thanks so much.” -Chloé practically threw herself into his arms. Seeing this Marinette’s jealousy levels went off the charts, and she was about to split them apart, when Adrien broke the embrace himself.  

“You’re welcome…” -he said, a little embarrassed. –“I’m just glad it all turn out okay.”

“Hate to interrupt this, but what are we going to do now?” -Alya asked.

“I say we enter the cathedral.” -Nino said.  

“Why?” -Mylene asked.

“Well, because the crystals brought us here.” –Nino told her.

“Yes, they brought us here, but they didn’t specifically tell us to go inside.” –Alix pointed out.  

“And do you have a better idea? Look, I’m not saying that it’s the best idea, or the right idea, but let’s think this for a moment. Why would these crystals guide us here, if not to enter in the cathedral?” -Nino asked her.

“You’re saying that, like the crystals had a mind of their own.” -Max pointed out. –“That’s not rational, Nino.”

“And is there anything rational about what we’re doing right now, Max?” -Alya asked him, already a little fed up about him saying that there was nothing rational about what was going on; now that they needed to be reminded, because they all felt like they were somehow dreaming with all that, even though they were wide awake.

“Well, maybe the crystals have a mind of their own, or perhaps that hooded figure that we all saw in or dreams might be controlling the crystals, and thus, leading us to here.” -Ivan suggested.

Hearing that made them all ponder about the fact that they might have actually been led there by someone, or something. Still, if that was the case, who or what would have wanted them there, and for what purpose?  

“Look, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to try and enter the cathedral.” -Nino said. –“Something tells me that that’s where we’ll find the answers we’re looking for.”

Inspired by Nino’s words, Adrien got up and said:

“He’s right. We’ve come this far, and although we don’t really understand what’s going on here, we have to try and see what happens.” -he told the others. –“Look, I know that you must be tired, a little sleepy and like me, scared. That’s right, I’m scared. I got out of my house in the middle of the night, after evading my dad, my bodyguard, and a couple of security guards to be here, and I’m scared that if I get caught, my dad will send me to a boarding school in Switzerland. But you know what else? I’m here with you, and I’m not going home without some answers. I’m going with you, Nino.”

“Thanks, bro.” -Nino thanked him, by putting his hand on Adrien’s shoulder. –“Who else is coming?”

“I am!” -Alya said.

“Me too!” -Marinette said.  

One by one, all of them joined Nino and Adrien, until the only ones’ left were Sabrina and Chloé. Sabrina agreed to also go with them, but Chloé was starting to have second thoughts about all that. She did not need to be there. She could just go back to the hotel and pretend that all of that never happened. Still, part of her wanted to know what was really going on… the selfish part of her, which was still a very present part of her personality, though she had promised herself that that would change in the near future. It took Sabrina to help her see that she also wanted to go with them. 

“Come on, Chloé. Everyone’s going forward with it… even me. You want to try and find out what’s really going on, don’t you?” -Sabrina asked her with a sweet voice.

As much as Chloé wanted to say otherwise, she really wanted to know what was going on. Sighing, she said.

“Fine… count me in, too.” -Chloé said. –“ _I’m probably going to regret about this, but it’s like they say: In for a penny, in for a pound._ ” -she thought.

“Then, let’s just wait to see if someone’s coming, and then we advance.” -Nino said.


	9. Miraculouses and Kwamis

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame. Built in 1345, it survived numerous events, such as the French Revolution, two World Wars, and it served as the background to one of Victor Hugo’s most famous novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in 1831. It had seen the city of Paris change over seven centuries, guarding it with its collections of gargoyles, which even after all these centuries, still kept a watchful eye over it. Now, in 2017, it was one of the world’s most famous churches and Paris’ most famous landmark, right after the Eiffel Tower. But more importantly, it was about to be break in by a group of teenagers, who did not really know what they were doing there, in the middle of the night.   

As they crossed the square, on their way to the western entrance of the cathedral, they all wondered what they were actually doing, and what would happen if they got caught. Still, they tried not to think about those things.   

“I just remembered something… how are we going to enter in the cathedral? It’s not like we can knock on the door and someone will open it for us.” -Adrien told Nino.

“Yeah, I haven’t really thought about that either.” -he whispered at Adrien. –“But you know what? I’m more concerned with what we’re going to do if we get caught.”

But before anyone could say anything else, in front of them, a strange beam of light appeared on the pavement, as if it was cutting it. In a matter of seconds, it drew a perfect square, surrounding the whole gang, who kept looking at the strange phenomenon that was taking place right in front of them. Then, the earth began to tremble, and the ground beneath their feet started to go down. The fear in them, prevented them from even moving from the place they stood. Finally, the floor stopped, and they saw themselves in what looked like a tall cave, with a tunnel ahead.   

“What just happened?” -Mylene asked.

“I don’t know, but this whole adventure, if we can call it that, has just gone from strange to bizarre.” -Chloé said, clearly scared by all of that.

“Where are we?” -Marinette asked.

“Underneath Notre-Dame’s square… and I bet that this tunnel leads somewhere beneath the cathedral.” -Kim said. –“Let’s go.”

“Go? Go where? I’m not going anywhere, Kim!” -Chloé told him. –“Let’s just try and go back up the way we came.”

But looking up, the hole began to close, until they saw themselves wrapped in darkness. Quickly, they all grabbed their cell phones and turned on their flashlights. More and more, that whole situation started to look like a horror flick. It did not take much more for Chloé to begin panicking.

“What just happened to the hole?! What happened to it?! We’re trapped down here!” -she screamed.  

But the was not the only one. Rose and Mylene were also scared, though they tried not to show it, so the others would not panic as well. Still, Juleka and Ivan respectively noticed they were both a little anxious, and decided to stand by their side to make them feel safer. Taking off their cell phones, they all found out that all of them displayed on their visors the warning “No signal.”.

“Look, everyone calm down.” -Kim told them. He had seen enough movies and series to know that when the characters saw themselves without a way to communicate with the outside, that the most important thing was to remain calm and look for a solution.

“How can we calm down?! Our cell phones don’t work, and we’re trapped down here like rats! I’m going to be rat food!!!” -Chloé kept panicking, as her heart began racing like crazy and a couple of tears ran down her face. Fear was starting to cloud her judgement.

“No, you’re not. I won’t let that happen, and neither will any of us, Chloé.” -Sabrina said, as she placed her arms around her, and pulled the blonde into a warm embrace. She had seen Chloé panicking like that before on a couple of less serious occasions than that one, and knew just what to do to calm her down. All the girl needed was to feel safe, and that trick had proved before to do miracles.

“You promise?” -Chloé asked her, with a shaken voice.  

“I promise, Chloé, I promise you. We all do, right, guys?” -Sabrina asked the others.

“Yeah.” -they all answered in chorus.

“Don’t worry, Chloé. We’ll find a way out of this place.” -Adrien assured her.

“If you say so, Adrien…” -the blonde answered, already a little calmer.

Gathering in a circle, the whole gang tried to analyse what they were going to do next. With no way to go back they came, they decided to follow the tunnel that they saw existed there. They did not know where it would end, but they knew that it was pointed in the direction of the cathedral. With some luck, they would find a way out, sooner or later.

Using the cell phones’ flashlights to see where they were going, they went down the tunnel. There, in the middle of the dark, with nothing but their cell phones to light their way, the only noise in the air was the sound of their breaths and the echoing of their footsteps bouncing back on the walls of the tunnel.

After about five minutes, they saw some light ahead, and began to wonder where they were going to end up.

“We can’t be under the cathedral, anymore. We walked at least three times the distance we were from it, when we fell down.” -Max stated.

“But that would mean we’re a lot deeper than we thought. You know that we were on an island, and we had the Seine around it. If the tunnel was just a few feet from the surface, we would have seen water by now.” -Ivan said.

“Doesn’t matter, there’s light up ahead. We’ll soon find out where we ended up.” -Alix pointed out to the luminescence ahead of them.

To their surprise, the light was coming from torches on the walls. They also noticed that the floor beneath their feet was cobbled like an ancient road. The first thing that occurred to Alya was that somehow they ended up in one of the branches of Paris’ catacombs, but if that was the case, then where were the skulls and bones that characterized the catacombs? That tunnel had nothing to do with them, but it felt like it was as old as the catacombs themselves.

“This is way medieval.” -Kim said.

“Makes you feel like you are in one of those old movies with knights and damsels in distress.” -Mylene declared.

“But, why would this be here? I mean, this looks something that you would see in an attraction on Disneyland.” -Marinette stated.

“Except for the fact that were about 40 kilometres from that particular place, girl.” -Alya told her.

“Well, I don’t know about that, but that over there looks like something right out of an attraction or a movie.” -Nino pointed out to what was now in front of them.

At the end of that tunnel was a wooden door. But this was no ordinary wooden door. The carvings of several animals on it looked like something one would see in a Baroque artwork; but what made it absolutely unique was a sphere of either or crystal with swirling light inside it, that was inserted in the wood. None of them had ever seen anything like it before.

“This… is beautiful.” -Rose said.

“I dig the carvings on it. The animals look so realistic.” -Juleka declared, as she admired the details carved in the wood. –“Love that raven over there.” -she pointed out to the raven with its wings spread that was just above the sphere.   

“But what’s it doing here?” -Nathaniel asked.

Before anyone could answer that question, a strange humming sound began to be heard. The sound came from their crystals, which were now both glowing and vibrating. Rising in the air, the crystals all formed a circle, hovering above everyone’s heads. Slowly, the crystals approached the sphere in the door and were engulfed by it. The swirling light inside the sphere began to change colours, and after a few seconds, it opened to reveal what was on the other side.

If they thought the door was stunningly beautiful, then what was behind it proved to be even more beautiful and amazing. In front of them was a magnificent Japanese style garden. In it, there were all kinds of flowers; some of them more exotic like hibiscus, lotus, jasmines and orchids, and some of them more common like daisies, chrysanthemums, roses and peonies. Their sweet scent made those who smelled it remember about memories of a warm spring afternoon, or maybe a hot summer’s day. There were several ponds and in all of them, there were many kinds of koi fish and frogs, playfully swimming in the clear crystal waters, while chasing after some colourful dragonflies. Bamboo trees, as well as pines, and cherry trees in blossom could be seen throughout the garden, gracefully embellishing it. There were also several ancient statues, all of them of men and women in several fighting positions, all of them different and unique. The way they had been sculpted made them look as if they were alive. There was a gentle perfumed breeze in the air, which contributed to give that place an almost mystical feeling. To make that place look even more surreal, at the top of the garden was a huge and imposing Japanese style castle, and furthermore, it was high-noon, with the Sun up in the air.

All the kids had never seen anything like it before, except maybe on a magazine or perhaps an illustration.  

“I know this is going to sound cliché, but, we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore.” -Nathaniel said.

“Or in our case, Paris.” -Adrien added.

“Look at this place. This place is huge!” -Alya said, as she began to snap a couple of photos of the garden.

“What are you doing?” -Nino asked her.

“Taking photos.” -Alya said deadpanned.

“Is this really the moment to do that?” -Nino looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

“And what do you want me to do? To just stare at everything like if we had an elephant in the room?” -Alya told him, as she snapped a few more photos, already thinking if she was going to post them in her new blog.

But, not everyone was as excited about where they were. Max, whose rational mind was having trouble to process all that was happening, tried at all costs try to make some sense of everything.   

“What are you thinking about, Max?” -Kim asked his best bud.

“I’m still trying to come up with a better theory as to what’s happening, but until I do, here’s what I think. I’m starting to believe that we have been victims of a process by which quantum information is transmitted from one location to another, with the help of classical communication and previously shared quantum entanglement between the sending and receiving location.”

“In English, Einstein!” -Alix told him.

“Or simply put, we teleported to another place.” -Max summed it up.

“Isn’t that a little too science fictiony?” -Nathaniel asked him.

“I don’t know! Right now, nothing makes sense, and yet I’m seeing it. I’m used to see rationality in everything, but there’s nothing rational about glowing crystals or trapdoors that just appear out of nowhere, or holes that magically disappear, or the fact that it was the middle of the night one moment, and on the next one it’s high noon! It just doesn’t make an ounce of sense!”

“We get it, Max, it’s okay.” -Kim tried to calm him down.  –“We don’t’ get it either, you’re not alone here.”

“Well, I don’t think this is a bad place, wherever we might be.” -Rose said, as she checked the beautiful flowers that were in full bloom. –“I mean, look at this place. If it was a bad place, would there be such lovely plants and all this water?”

“Rose might be right.” -Marinette declared, as she looked at the water and saw one of the koi fish looking at her. –“Wherever we ended up, it can’t be an evil place.”

“Then you never read any of the books from the Percy Jackson saga.” -Juleka said. –“In those books, some of the most beautiful places the characters visited, were also where the biggest dangers lied.”

That last remark from Juleka caused shivers up Marinette’s spine, as her brain imagined countless dangers that could be lying around. She quickly imagined that some of the flowers’ pollen could be poisonous, or that the koi fishes were probably ravenous man-eating fishes that if given the chance, would eat them in mere seconds.

“Don’t say that, or Marinette will start seeing things where they aren’t.” -Alya told Juleka, as she saw the way Marinette’s eyes looked; this only happened when she panicked.

“I-I’m not seeing or imagining things where they aren’t.” -Marinette told Alya with a bold voice, trying to show her that was not afraid.

“If you say so.”

“Still, look at this place.” -Mylene said. –“I’ve never seen a garden like this before, not to mention a castle like that one, except on magazines or photos.”

“And something tells me that that’s where will find some answers to all of this.” -Nino said.

“You said the same thing about the cathedral.” -Alix shot at him.

“I know, but this time, I got a really strong feeling about it.” -Nino said. –“Besides, it’s not like we can go back the way we came from.”

“To be honest, we don’t even know how ended up here, Nino. One minute we’re in Paris, the other we’re here, wherever here is.” -Max told him.

“If I had to take a guess, I would say we’re in Japan, or something.” -Adrien declared.

“I don’t know if it’s Japan, but it’s definitely somewhere in Asia. I mean, look at the way this place is decorated.” -Ivan stated.

“Who cares?! Just as long as there’s a phone in that place, so we can call for help, I don’t really care. Come on, Sabrina, let’s go up there!” -Chloé told her best-friend, who promptly followed her.

Seeing the two of them walking towards the castle, the rest of the gang decided to follow them. They did not know what they were going to find there, but since they did not know what else to do, heading towards it was the only realistic option they had.  While crossing the garden, they noticed that aside from the koi fish and the frogs, there were other animals living in that place. They noticed that there were numerous birds flying in the air such as sparrows, swallows and crows, while up on the trees there were numerous squirrels. On they saw passing in front of them a pair of foxes and some bunny rabbits, which kept hopping from place to place. Rose and Marinette were tempted to stop and try and pet them, but decided not to.

Arriving at the top of the garden where the castle was, they saw that it was surrounded by a tall wall. Luckily there was an open gate, which led them to a courtyard. In it, they looked around for a way to enter the castle. The place itself looked spotless, as if someone had been caring for it, but at the same time, it felt like no one had stepped foot there in a very long time. Locating a door, they went to it and tried to open it. It took the combined strength of all the boys to open such a heavy door. When inside, they were a little disappointed by what they saw. Unlike the rest of the things they had seen since they arrived there, the inside of the room they were in was quite simple. The walls, the floor and the ceiling, they were all black, making the room that was already quite big, look even bigger than it really was. The only piece of furniture in it, if you could call it furniture, was a large squared rice-coloured tatami. And at the back of it were some pedestals, 14 to be exact, the same number as they were, and all of them were being illuminated by a focus light.    

“Well, this looks… I don’t even know what to say.” -Alya said.

“It looks… it looks nothing like the rest of things.” –Nathaniel declared.  

“I was definitely expecting something else.” -Chloé argued.

“And what did you expect to see in inside? -a mystery voice asked.

“I don’t know, maybe a phone at least and… wait a minute! Who said that?!” -Chloé exclaimed, after realizing the voice did not belong to any of her friends.

“I did, Chloé Bourgeois.” -the same mysterious voice was heard.

Wind began to blow out of nowhere, creating a small whirlwind in front of them from which came out someone they were not expecting to see.

“It’s the hooded figure!” -Marinette yelled terrified, as she grabbed the arm of the person who was closest to her, which was Adrien. In a normal situation, she would most likely be on cloud nine, but right then, she was absolutely terrified with what she was seeing.

The mysterious hooded figure that first appeared in Nathaniel’s dreams and later, on everyone else’s dreams was now standing in front of them. Its appearance was exactly like in the kids’ dreams, and just like in the dreams, they could not tell if the person in the robes was a man or woman.  

“What do you want from us?” -Ivan asked, as he placed himself in front of Mylene to protect her.

“Don’t be frightened, I’m not going to hurt you.”

“And we’re supposed to trust someone who’s been haunting our dreams dressed like that, because?” -Juleka asked it.    

“Oh, I guess this form really doesn’t do me any justice.” -the hooded figure said. –“Just give me a moment to change into a more suitable form.”

With those words, the hooded figure snapped its fingers and gust of wind began to blow out of nowhere, enveloping it. A few seconds later, where the tall dark hooded figure was, now stood an old Chinese man with grey hair, moustache and goatee. He was wearing a red Hawaiian shirt with a white flower pattern, tan Capri pants and dark brown shoes.  

“There, better now? Do I look trustworthy enough?” -the old man asked in a jolly voice. The teenagers were speechless with what had happened. They had seen it, yet, they could not believe it. More and more, they began to doubt that they were awaken, because everything that was happening looked like a crazy dream. –“I take it from your faces that you don’t know if you’re actually awaken, or just dreaming, am I right? Well, believe me when I tell you that you’re not dreaming and this is all real.”

“W-Who are you?” -Sabrina asked him.

“Oh, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Master Fu.” -he presented himself. –“Now, I know that you all have many questions and they will all be answered later because right now, you must have what destiny has awarded you.”

“Destiny has awarded us what?” -Mylene asked, puzzled.

“What does that mean?” -Max asked, confused. He did not know what to believe or accept as real at that point.

“Like I said, it will all be explained later.” -Master Fu said. –“In each of those pedestals over there, is an object that will change your lives, forever.”

“And… you want us to take one of them?” -Alya asked.

“Not just one of them… the one that has been waiting for you.”  

“And how will we know which one is the one for us?” -Rose asked.

“You will, trust me.” -Master Fu assured him.

Not exactly knowing what to do, none of them wanted to be the first. Still, one had to, and that one was Nino. Taking a step forward, he slowly made his way to where the pedestals were. He looked at them and noticed that on top of each of them was a small hexagonal wooden box. For some reason, he felt attracted to a particular one. Going to it, he picked it up, and when he opened it, he saw what was inside of it, a light-green stone turtle-shaped bracelet.

“ _Wicked…_ ” -Nino told himself.

Next, Rose went ahead and picked the box that she felt attracted to. Opening it, she saw a beautiful pink flamingo-shaped hair-pin. One by one, they all grabbed the box they felt was the right one for them. When opening them, some of them were astounded by what was inside the box, while others were a less impressed by it, but still wondered why they felt like they had chosen that particular one. Marinette got a pair of red earrings with black spots, like ladybugs. Adrien got a silver ring. Alya got a small golden chain with a white-tipped orange fox tail charm attached to it. Kim got a leather wristband with the design of an antelope on it. Juleka got a black leather belt with a raven-shaped buckle. Nathaniel got a red and orange artist glove with a red-panda designed on it. Mylene got a white pin with the face of a doe stamped on it. Alix got a green and pink dragonfly necklace. Chloé got a golden hair comb with an arch on top and nine teeth; one side of the hair comb had the design of a bee with black stripes, a black head, and wings stretched out to make the arch. Sabrina got a silver wolf-shaped broche. Max got a wristwatch with a purple spider-like shaped wristband. And finally, Ivan got a bear-shaped spike wristband.   

“So, hmmm… what are we supposed to do with these?” -Alix asked

“Put them on.” -Master Fu told her.  

“Put them on?” -Alya said.

“That’s not very scientific, but okay.” -Max commented, as he put on the wristwatch.

Obeying the old man, they all put them on, and what happened next, became one of their fondest memories ever for the rest of their lives. Though, at that exact moment, they were too terrified to appreciate it- Above them 14 different little creatures with large heads, small bodies and all of them resembled animals.   

“Hello!!!!” -the floating creatures exclaimed.

“Ahh!!!” -they all screamed upon seeing them.

“What are these things?!” -Chloé asked, terrified with the one that resembled a bee that was trying to hug her.

“They are your kwamis, and you’ll have time to get to know each other. But for now, it’s time for you to go back home.” -Master Fu told them. –“Don’t worry, you will wake up in your bed.”

“But you told us that this wasn’t a dream!” -Marinette exclaimed.

“And it isn’t… I’m merely teleporting you back to your beds, in time for you to go to school. Don’t be late, and don’t worry, we’ll see each other sooner than you think Take care of the kwamis.”

With those words said, Master Fu clapped his hands and a bright light appeared and engulfed them. 


	10. Hello, my name is...

**Chapter 10: Hello, my name is…**

 

Marinette woke up startled. She was back in her bed, wearing her pyjamas. Looking outside, she saw the sun had not come up yet and the clock on her cell phone marked 6 in the morning. It had all been a dream, nothing but a dream. As she stretched herself, she felt her body a little sore, as if she had been running for hours in a row. Still, that was just a sign that she needed to sleep less, she thought.  

“What a crazy dream that was.” -Marinette said. –“I can’t wait to tell Alya all about it, in a few hours. But first, I think I’m going to sleep another hour.” -she yawned.

Resting her head on the pillow, Marinette closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep again. But when she was about to fall asleep, she felt like she was being watched. Opening her eyes, she saw a small crimson creature with a large head, a tiny body, and dark blue eyes, that resembled a ladybug, with two antennae, a large black spot on her forehead, back, and each side of her head, and a short tail with three tips aligned vertically, staring at her.

“Hello!” -the small creature said, waving her tiny hand at Marinette.

“Ahh!!! Help, it’s a giant bug! A… a mouse! A bug-mouse!!!” -Marinette screamed, as she threw her pillow at it.

“Wait!” -the small creature said.

“Go away! Go away! Scram!!!” -Marinette screamed as she got out of bed and climbed down the stairs, looking for something to throw at the strange creature. She threw at it just about everything her hands could grab, from pillows to pencils, but no matter how many things she threw at it, the strange crimson and black creature kept dodging them without breaking a sweat.   

“Marinette, wait!” -the small creature begged her.

“I must be still asleep… come on, Marinette, wake up! Wake up!” -she told herself, as she slapped her own face, hoping that that would wake her up from what seemed like a   

“This is not a dream, Marinette! I’m not a dream, and I’m not a bug!”

“How do you know my name?!” -Marinette asked the creature. 

“Marinette?” -a voice was heard. It was Marinette’s mother knocking at the door. –“Marinette, are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah, mom, I’m okay.” -Marinette answered nervously.

“Can I come in?”

“N-No!” -she practically screamed, afraid that her mother would see the strange creature that was floating in front of her. But then, she noticed that the creature was gone. Puzzled by that, Marinette did not even had the time to say her mother could enter, when she opened the door.

“Marinette, is everything alright?” -Sabine asked her daughter.

“Y-Yeah, mom, everything’s fine.” -Marinette tried to look normal.

“Well, it didn’t sound like it. We could hear you scream downstairs.” -she said.

“It was just a bad dream, mom.” -Marinette insisted.

“It must have been one of those really bad dreams, if you screamed like that.” -Sabine told her daughter. –“Do you want me to bring you something?”

“No, it’s okay, mom. I’ll just go back to bed for another hour or so.” -she faked a yawn.

“Okay, then. But you know, that if you need anything, you just need to call me or your father, alright, honey?”

“I do, mom, thanks.” -Marinette said, as Sabine closed the door behind her.

Marinette waited a few seconds to make sure her mother would not come back, before starting to look for the strange creature. While passing in front of her mirror, she noticed that she was wearing the earrings the old man had given her. She now knew she was not dreaming and that that creature, wherever it was, it was real and she needed to find it to figure out what was really going on. Any trace of sleep she could have left in her body disappeared, as she looked for it.

“Okay, bug, where are you? Show yourself!” -Marinette exclaimed, as she turned her bedroom upside down looking for it. –“You better show up now, or I’m going to get a fly swatter to deal with you!”

“No, you won’t.” -the creature’s voice was heard. –“I know you wouldn’t hurt a fly. I can tell it.”

“W-Well… maybe not, but I can make an exception for you, you, big bug-mouse!” -Marinette told it.

“First of all, I’m not a bug or a bug-mouse, so stop calling me that.” -the creature showed up in front of Marinette’s face. It had a serious look on its face, which scared Marinette, making her almost jump out of her skin.     

“Ahh! Don’t do that!” -Marinette exclaimed.

“Don’t do what?” -the creature asked her.

“T-That! D-Don’t show up like that! You want to give me a heart attack?” -Marinette asked it, as she tried to calm herself down.

“Sorry.” -the creature said. –“Look, maybe you should just sit down and we can start over.”

“Okay.” -Marinette said, as she pulled a chair and sat on it. She did not know why she was listening to that tiny little creature, but something inside of her told her that was the best thing to do then. –“First things first, who are you, what are you and what do you want from me?”

“Do you want that answered by that very specific order?” -the creature asked her with a sarcastic voice, to which Marinette raised her an eyebrow. –“Okay, first things first. My name is Tikki. I’m a kwami… I’m your kwami, and I’m here to help you accomplish your mission.”

“Kwami? Mission? I don’t understand… what mission?”

“To protect the world.” -Tikki told her.

Hearing that, Marinette did not know what to say, or even how to react to such an assertion, which seemed preposterous, not to mention absolutely crazy.  

“What do you mean protect the world? What do you think I am? A superhero?

“Not yet, you aren’t. But with my help, you will be.”

* * *

At the same time, in Agreste Manor, Adrien was also meeting his kwami, but unlike Marinette, he did not freak out when he saw him. In fact, he felt relieved that everything that happened before was not just a dream, and although he admitted that initially he was a little freaked out about his kwami, he liked his style. His kwami’s name was Plagg and he was a small black creature with a large head and small body, having a very cat-like appearance, with cat ears, a tail, two cat incisors, and green cat-like eyes, along with one whisker on his forehead and one whisker on each cheek.

“You’re like… like the genie in the bottle!” -Adrien exclaimed, as he saw Plagg floating in the air.

“I met him once. So, he grants wishes. Big deal! I’m way more personable. The name’s Plagg, and it’s awesome to meet you, Adrien.”

“You know my name?”

“Yup, and believe me, you and I are going to stuck to one another like glue.” -Plagg smirked. –“I got lots of stuff to tell you, but before I spill the beans, do you have any cheese around, preferably Camembert?”

Hearing this, Adrien did not know what to answer the little kwami. Seeing the boy’s confused face, Plagg said:

“What? I’m hungry. Trust me, I may look like a cute stuffed animal, but I’m very much alive, and after a long nap, I need a snack to regain my strength.”  -Plagg said, with a smirk on his face.

* * *

In Alya’s room, the girl woke up almost hysterical and had to control herself not to yell out loud what she had dreamed about, so her younger brothers, who were sleeping on the other rooms, would not wake up. Still, her kwami did not shut up, and she had to tell it to shut up. If this had happened during the morning or the afternoon, Alya would have joined the tiny little creature in its celebration, amazed by it. But this was the middle of the night, and she did not want any of her family to know  

“Please, shut up! You’ll wake my parents and my brothers!” –Alya said in a hushed voice.

“Oh, come now, you don’t expect me to just be quiet after such a long time, do you, Alya? Oh, you look so awesome with that miraculous around your neck. Believe me, it matches the colour of your eyes, and I’m not just saying that because it’s my miraculous, believe me. I’m being fully honest here.” -she pointed out. –“And, before I forget, you can call me Trixx.” -she said.

Trixx was a small orange creature with a tiny body, large head and purple eyes. She had eyelashes on the side of her eyes, pale pink eyelids, two fox incisors, and her eyebrows appeared as small dark brown spots above her eyes. She had long foxlike ears with white insides and black tips and edges, and a thick flexible tail with a white tip. Her forearms and lower legs were black, and the front of her body and the area around her mouth were white. By all means, she looked like a tiny fox.

“Okay, thanks for telling me that, Trixx, but please, could you be quiet? I beg you!” -Alya begged her once more in a hush.   

“Oh, but I got so much to tell you!” -Trixx practically screamed. It was clear that she was happy to be there and to be able to talk.

“Then, you can tell me everything in a hush, please.” Alya asked her. –“ _I wonder if any of the others are having a problem like this one, right now?_ ” -she thought to herself.

* * *

Nino was home alone that night. Both his parents were working the night shift that week, so when he woke up and saw a small creature floating in front of him, he did not worry if he woke up someone or not; in honest truth, when he screamed, he did not even remember about that. All his attention was focused on the small turtle-like creature that was in front of him. It was light green with yellow sclera, light green eyes, and had an antenna on his head. It also had a slightly darker green turtle shell on his back and a tail.

“Calm down, Nino, calm down.” –the creature told him with a soothing voice.

“You… You are supposed to be part of a dream, just like the old man…” -he said, with his heart still beating like crazy from the scare.

“No, Nino, I’m not part of anyone’s dream, and neither is Master Fu. Trust me, what you and your friends experienced, it was real… I am real.” -it told Nino, always maintaining a soothing voice, in order to calm him down. 

“B-But, what are you?”

“Weren’t you paying attention to what Master Fu told you? I’m a kwami, and my name is Wayzz. It’s an honour to finally meet you.” -Wayzz told him, as he bowed.

“Okay… and, what are you doing here?”

“Well, I’m here because you put on my miraculous?”

“Your what?” -Nino asked, puzzled.

“My miraculous… the bracelet you’re wearing.” -Wayzz pointed to it.

Nino noticed that he really was wearing the bracelet he took out of the box in his dream. And that meant that what he did, where he was, it had not been a dream, but reality. He could not explain it but, it had not been a dream, and what was going on right then, it was not a dream either. Wayzz was real.

“I’m sure you have lots of questions, and I’m going to answer some of them now, if you want to.” -Wayzz said, as he sat on Nino’s bed.

“O-Okay, but take it slowly, alright? I just woke up.” -Nino sighed.

* * *

While Nino tried to calm himself down and listened to what Wayzz had to say to him, in the Le Grand Paris hotel; or Chloé Bourgeois’ suite, the blonde was having one of the worst nights of her life. Having awakened from the craziest dream ever, she saw herself in the middle of her room with one of her worst nightmares staring at her, a bee, or in this case, a bee-like creature.

“Go away! Leave me!” -Chloé screamed, as she tried to look for a place to hide.

“But, Chloé…” -the small bee-like creature said.

“Leave me alone!” -Chloé screamed, as she hid beneath her bed. –“ _In here, it won’t find me… I think._ ” -she thought.

Chloé had been afraid of bees ever since she was 5 years old. She had gone to the park with one of her nannies; she could not remember which one, because none of them could handle her temperament. But, unlike that part, she did remember the incident that happened like if it had been yesterday. She was passing by a flower bed, she saw a beautiful daisy, just lying there, waiting to be picked. She approached the flower and picked it to smell it. What she did not notice was that on it was a little bee. Feeling threatened by the 5-year-old Chloé, the bee stung her on the nose, causing her not only pain, but a severe apiphobia, or fear of bees that still haunted her to this day. She had gone to several psychologists over the years to treat that phobia, and it was reasonably controlled. But seeing a bee-like creature such as the one that had appeared first in her dream, and later in her bedroom, was too much, even for Chloé.

“ _If I stay here and wait, it’ll probably go away…_ ” -she thought to herself, although she felt like she was lying to herself. That was not just a simple bee, but a yellow creature, with antennae, a small body and a big head with three curved stripes wrapped around her head. Each stripe growing smaller as it ascended its forehead. Its antennae, arms and feet were black, while the eyes were navy blue. A black stripe surrounded both its eyes, coming to a peak and the top corner like eyelashes. It also had a small tuft below the neck. And to Chloé, that creature was a nightmare she only wanted to make disappear. –“ _No… it won’t go away. Why? Why did it have to be a bee?_ ”

The small bee-like creature was just standing there, floating in the air, as it looked down on the place Chloé was hiding. It was clear to it that Chloé was afraid of it. But it was not just fear, it was panic. Knowing that she would not come out if it did not try to earn, the little creature flew down and sat on the floor, near Chloé’s bed, so she could heat it talking to her.

“Look… I’m not going to hurt you, okay?” -it said. After that, there was silence.

“Why don’t we start from the beginning? My name is Pollen and I’m your kwami.”

Almost a minute went by after the little kwami said that, and the blonde was still hiding beneath her bed. Finally, Chloé decided to place her hand out, showing that she was trying to make an effort to ignore her almost primal fear of bees. A few seconds later, it was her head that came out and looked

“H-Hello…” -Chloé stuttered.

“Hello, Chloé.” -Pollen smiled to her. –“I guess you’re afraid of bees… we’ll have to work on that.” -she kept smiling warmly to the blonde, so as to transmit her confidence. It was clear to her that in order to have Chloé to trust her, she would have to go slow and assure her that she was not going to hurt her.    

* * *

Sabrina, on the other hand was having a great moment. When she woke up and saw her kwami looking at her in the eyes, she immediately hugged him. The poor kwami, who was not used to be treated like that, thought it was weird. When Sabrina finally stopped, and let him go, so she could put on her glasses, he tried to catch his breath.

“I’m sorry, it’s just… even without my glasses, I could tell that you’re really cute.” -Sabrina said.

“Cute? I’m not cute! I’m ferocious, bold, courageous… and a little fluffy, I admit.” -he said. –“But I’m not cute, kiddo!”

“Okay, okay, I won’t call you cute… but let’s talk a little lower. I don’t know if my dad has already left for work, and I don’t want him to see you.”

“You got it. I can keep a low profile, as I always do.” -he said, with a cool and smooth voice.

“You’re funny. My name’s Sabrina…”

“I know who you are kiddo, and I can tell you and I are going to be great partners. The name’s Mika, by the way.”

Mika was a small grey creature with a tiny body, large head and golden eyes. He had long wolf-like ears with white insides and grey tips and edges, a black nose, two wolf incisors, and a thick flexible tail with a white tip. His forearms and lower legs were grey, and the front of his body and the area around his mouth were white.

“Pleasure to meet you, Mika. And, what do you mean by partners?”

“What do I mean? I mean that you’re going to be an awesome super-heroine, just like all your other friends, and all thanks to me.”

“A Super-heroine? Me?” -Sabrina asked him.

“Yeah, you and your friends. Trust me, I’ve been doing this for a very long time, and it never gets old.” -Mika winked at her.

“My friends? Oh, my gosh, that means…” -Sabrina said, as she realized that she was obviously not the only one who had been awarded a kwami. –“… all of my friends from school are also going to be superheroes. Even Chloé…”  

“Indeed. If I’m not mistaken, when you activated me, I saw that she was wearing Pollen’s hair comb, so that means, she’s going to have a lot of fun with that bee.”

“Oh my… Chloé’s afraid of bees. You don’t think I should call her to see if everything’s okay?” -Sabrina asked, worried about how Chloé would react to the bee-kwami.

“Nah, don’t worry, Pollen’s a professional. Over these 5000 years, she has faced way worse than a girl who’s afraid of bees. Trust me, by the end of their first talk, they’ll be as close to one another as you and I are going to be, kiddo.” -Mika assured her.

* * *

Like it happened so many times, Nathaniel woke up in front of his desk. It was not the first time that happened. Spending his free time drawing, it was usual for that to happen, although this was the first time he woke up in front of it, from a dream where he really believed that he was wide awake. Everything in it was so real and surreal at the same time, that even the sanest of persons would have had trouble figuring out what was what. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to figure if he was still dreaming or awakened, when a small creature showed up in front of his eyes.

“Hey!”

This made him fall from his chair, hitting his left elbow pretty hard on the floor. The stinging pain that coursed from his elbow to his brain gave him the undeniable proof that he was awakened. Rubbing his elbow to relieve the pain, Nathaniel puffed a couple of times.

“Sorry, sorry, are you hurt?” -the tiny little creature asked him.

“What? You… then, what happened wasn’t…” -Nathaniel said.

“A dream? You bet it wasn’t, it was all real.” -the little creature said. –“Now tell me, are you hurt?

“No, I’m okay. I keep falling from this chair. It’s like this thing is cursed or something.” -Nathaniel said, as he got up. His elbow was still stinging, but not as much as before. –“So… you are, what was the name the old man called you?”

“Kwami, Nathaniel. And I’m not just any kwami, I’m your kwami. I’m Mulan.” -he said.

Mulan was a was a small reddish-brown creature with a tiny body, large head and green eyes. He had long round-like ears, black nose, raccoon-like whiskers, and a bushy tail with six alternating transverse ochre rings. His forearms and lower legs were reddish-brown, and the front of his body and the area around his mouth and eyes were white.

“Mulan… and you’re a raccoon?”

“Raccoon? Do I look like one of those animals that love to eat trash and when in danger, they pretend to be dead, so everyone just leaves them alone?”

“Well, you do look a little raccoonish…” -Nathaniel hesitated for a second. –“And, raccoons don’t pretend to be dead, possums do.”

“But I’m not! I’m a red panda, and don’t you forget. And you know what… the way you reacted when you placed my glove and saw me and the other kwamis, I really thought you’d be scared of me.” -Mulan pointed out.

“Well, it was a bit of a shock, I admit. But, truth be told, I spend my life drawing all kinds of things and wishing they’d just come to life, that having you appearing to me like that is almost a dream come true.” -Nathaniel told him.

“I see.” -Mulan said. –“And, since we’re telling truths to one another, I’ll admit that it isn’t the first time someone mistakes me for a raccoon.” -he admitted.

“You mean, other people have seen you before?” -Nathaniel asked him.

“Pretty much, and believe me, I could tell you stories.” -Mulan told him. –“You better sit down and listen to what I’m going to tell you.”     

* * *

Being quite the sleepyhead, Rose woke up from what she supposed was a crazy dream, but turned her head to the side and decided to go back to sleep. Still, that was all the sleep she was going to get that night, for like the rest of her classmates, she had company. The company of a tiny creature, her kwami, who was trying to wake her up.

“Come on, Rose, wake up!” -the kwami said, poking her on the head.

“Just five more minutes, mom.” -Rose said with a sleepy voice.

“It’s not your mom calling you, girl! It’s your kwami Flint!” -he said, as he kept poking her.

Flint was a small pink creature with a tiny body, large head and green eyes. He had a small curved black and white beak, and a feathered tail.

“Then… will you come back a little later? I want to try and sleep a little longer…” -Rose said, as she yawned and went back to sleep.

Realizing he was not going to wake her up like that, the kwami turned on her bedside light and looked around her room for something to help him awake the blonde. Rose’s room was so pink, one would even think that instead of a regular girl, a princess from one of the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales lived there. In one of the shelves, there was a tiny little unicorn toy. Grabbing it, he took it to Rose’s bed and began to poke her with the toy’s horn. But, instead of waking her up, Rose grabbed it and placed it near her chest.

“Don’t you go away now, Mr. Unicorn.” -she said. –“You can tickle me later…”

Hearing that, Flint decided to tickle her. Maybe if he tickled her enough, she would wake up. Ticking her on the neck and her face, soon Rose started giggling. But, it was not enough to wake her up. Doubling his efforts, dove under the covers and started tickling her under the arms. This made her start laughing uncontrollably. Throwing away the covers, Rose sat on her bed with her legs crossed, as she stopped laughing.

“Okay, okay, I’m awaken, mom. I’m awaken.” -Rose said.

“How many times, do I have to tell you? I’m not your mom, I’m kwami!” -Flint said.

It was then that Rose noticed the kwami that was floating in front of her. She had seen it, along with the other similar creatures on her dream, and now he was there, in front of her.

“Oh… I guess you’re really not my mom.” -Rose said.

“No kidding. What gave me away?”

“For one, my mom isn’t this short and she’s not this pink.” -Rose giggled. –“But I thought you were just a dream.”

“Nope, I’m real, and everything that you saw and heard was also real. If you have any doubts about it, then check what you’ve got on your hair.” -Flint told her.

Instantly, Rose touched her head and felt the hairpin that she had taken from the box in her dream. That proved that what had happened had not been a dream.

“I’ve put it on, and you came out.” -Rose realized.

“That’s right. That’s how miraculouses work.” -Flint said.

“Miraculouses?” -Rose asked.

“It’s the objects that were given to you and your friends.”

“But why?”

“Why what?”

“Why were they given to us, and why did you came out of mine?” -Rose asked Flint.

“Oh, that’s a really long story, and I shouldn’t tell it to you because I don’t know all the details myself.” -Flint declared.

“Come on, can’t you at least tell me the basic? This has never happened to me before.” -Rose begged him.

“Well, I can do that. I can at least tell you the basic. But first, can I tell you a joke?”

“Sure, I guess.” -Rose shrugged her shoulders.

“Okay, then tell, why did the chicken cross the road?” -Flint asked her.

“Why?” -Rose asked.

“Isn’t it obvious? To get to the other side, of course!” -Flint answered with a smile on his face.

The joke was older then Rose’s great-grandmother, but the way Flint told it, it made her laugh really hard. Hearing her laugh from it, made the kwami tell her another one, and another one. It was clear to him that his new holder was someone that looked quite cheerful, who enjoyed a good laugh and who smiled a lot. The perfect match for him.    

* * *

Juleka woke up to the sound of her favourite metal band, Slipknot. She had learned to fall asleep to their music, because their songs made her feel relaxed. Unlike what most people thought, metal was not just loud noise and there were so many kinds of metal music to choose from, that the goth girl sometimes felt bad about favouring one kind to another. Stopping the music, she looked at the clock on her cell and saw that she could stay in bed a little longer. Changing the song on her iPod, she was getting ready to fall back asleep, when she noticed there was something on her bedcovers. It was one of the little creatures that she saw in her dream. Smiling, she closed in on it, always looking at it in the eyes and said:   

“So… you weren’t a dream.”

“No, I wasn’t. I’m Tamara.” -she said.

Tamara was small black creature with a tiny body, large head and blue eyes. She had a small black beak, a feathered tail, eyelashes on the side of her eyes and pale purple eyelids.

“Juleka. Nice to meet you.” -Juleka smiled at the little kwami.

“Aren’t you going to ask me why I wasn’t a dream or why am I here?” -Tamara asked her.

“No.” -Juleka smiled. –“For some reason, I’m just happy to see you here. But, you can tell me, if you want to.”

“Sure… but, could I listen to that song you’re hearing, first?

“You like metal?” -Juleka asked her, to which Tamara waved her head. –“Sure, come here.” -the girl said, as she placed one of the earphones near her.    

* * *

Mylene woke up frightened, her heart beating like a drum inside her chest. Turning on her bedside light, she quickly got up and started to practice breathing exercises she had learned from her father. He had told her that whenever she felt scared or stressed, she should do them to slow down her heart, but also to clear her mind.

“It was just a nightmare. It was just a nightmare. It was just a nightmare.” -she told herself. Part of those exercises also involved repeating a key sentence, over and over. –“There’s nothing to fear. There’s nothing to fear. There’s nothing to fear.”

As her heart slowed down, and she became calmer, she took several deep breaths. Closing her eyes for a second, she told herself once more that there was nothing to fear. Still not feeling calm enough, she decided to resort to her last resort, the Smelly Wolf song. It was Mylene’s happy song, which she usually sang to calm herself down and to gain courage.

 _Smelly wolf, smelly wolf_  
_Trapped in the stinky hut._  
_Smelly wolf, smelly wolf_  
_I'm gonna kick your...._  
  
_Smelly wolf, smelly wolf_  
_Stinky breath and slimy drool._  
_Smelly wolf, smelly wolf_  
_You're just a silly...!_

As the song’s lyrics echoed in her head, she felt calmer and more confident. She told herself that she was ready to head back to bed, until it was time to get up for breakfast. But, when she opened her eyes, she had a tiny creature in front of her, making her scream in fear. Luckily, her parents’ bedroom was on the other side of the house, and they did not hear her.

“Don’t be afraid.” -the creature told her with a soothing voice.

“Y-You… You’re talking…” -Mylene tried to talk.

“Of course, I am.” -it smiled.

“Y-You are a… a…”

“The word you’re looking for is kwami, and yes I am. My name is Pin.”

Like the remaining kwamis, Pin was quite small. She a small greyish-brown creature with a tiny body, large head and yellow eyes. She had eyelashes on the side of her eyes, and dark circles around them. She had deerlike ears with white insides and grey tips and edges, as well as a small fluffy tail. Her forearms, lower legs and forehead were spotted, and the front of her body and the area around her mouth were white.

“A k-kwami…” –Mylene said, before fainting.

“Well, this is a first.” -Pin said, as she saw Mylene lying on the floor. –“ _I’ve never had a holder who fainted after seeing me for the first time._ ” -she thought. –“I think I’ll have to go slow with her, just in case.”

* * *

Kim woke up and instantly turned on the light. That had been one of the craziest, or quite possibly the craziest he ever had.

“Whoa, what a dream… running through Paris at night with the others, secret gardens with weird-looking hooded guys who turned out to be old men who presents us with gifts. That was one crazy dream.” -Kim said. –“I’ve got to stop eating mini spring rolls while playing videogames at night.” -he declared. It had not been the first time this happened, when he played online, and he usually blamed it on the snacks.  

“You wouldn’t have any with you right now?” -a voice asked.

“No, I’m afraid not… what?!” -Kim exclaimed.

“To your left, Kim.” -the same voice said.

Turning his head, Kim saw one of the tiny creatures of his dream and nearly fell from his bed. He could hardly believe in his own eyes. At first, he worried that it might attack him or something, but after looking at it more closely, Kim felt that it was not going to attack him.    

“You’re real!” -Kim exclaimed. –“But if you’re real then, what happened before was… all real. _But how?_ ” -he thought the last part.

“That’s right, I am real. I’m Imp, nice to meet you.” -Imp smiled.

Imp was a small brownish creature with a tiny body, large head and green eyes. He had long pointy ears, a long snout, two arch-like horns on top of his head and a long bushy white tail, with a black streak on the middle. His forearms and lower legs were brownish, with its hands and feet being black, and the front of his body and the area around his mouth and eyes were milky white.

“Imp? Is that short for something else or you actually an imp?”

“No, it’s not the short for anything, and I may have horns and a tail, but I’m not one of those mythical creatures.” -Imp said.

“Sorry, if I offended you.” -Kim excused himself.

“It’s quite alright. You do look like a smart kid, so I’ll take that those questions of yours are all part of the shock of seeing me.”

“Maybe a bit…”

“It happens to most, don’t worry, I’m used t it.” -Imp told him. –“What matters now, is that I’m here for you.”

“But, why are you here? I mean, why would you be here for me?”

“Because, you and your friends, were chosen for one of the most important jobs ever, to save the world.” -Imp told him.

* * *

When Max woke up from what he considered his worst dream ever, he felt the need to have a glass of water. Exiting his room, he made his way to the kitchen for a refreshing glass of water. After drinking it, he went back to his room, determined to just go back to sleep, so he could forget about that crazy dream. Ever since he was little, he hated having dreams where things do not make sense.   

“That was probably the craziest dream ever… I got to stop playing so many videogames before going to bed.” -he told himself, as he entered his room.

He was making his way to his bed, when he went against something that stuck to his face. Pulling it out, he tried to figure out what it was. At first glance, he saw that it looked like something like a purple thread, a sticky purple thread. And then, he noticed its pattern; it was a spider web. Max had never seen one like that before, especially one with that colour.

“How did this ended up here?” -Max asked, as he looked closely at the sticky web.

“Hey! It took me 30 seconds to do that!” -a voice exclaimed.

“What the…?” -Max was surprised to hear that.

“Up here!” -the same voice called him.

Looking up, Max’s chin almost fell from what he saw. Up on the roof was a tiny purple creature looking at him with a mischievous smile. One of the very same creatures he had dreamed about.

 “Y-You… it’s not possible, you’re not real.”

“Oh, believe me, I am quite real, and you should learn to be careful not to destroy other people’s work, you know?” –he told Max, who was still looking at him with his mouth still open.

“You can’t be real.” –Max declared.

“But I am, Max. My name is Ari, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.” -he presented himself.

Ari was a small purple creature with a tiny body, large head and orange eyes. Unlike the other kwamis, Ari had two sets of eyes, the ones on the top of his head bigger than the others. He also four arms and four legs, which were covered in a black spider-web pattern, and a tail.

“You can’t exist. From a scientific point of view, there’s no way a creature like you could exist.” -Max said.

“Why?”

“Because it has been shown that arachnids can’t fly, or float, and physically, you’re not even an arachnid. You may look like one, but you’re not one.” -Max pointed.

“Then, what about the possibility that I could be an unknown species? Did your scientific brain ever thought about that possibility? A good scientist or thinker never discards a possibility or theory.” -Ari tried to make Max to accept what was going on, through the use of rational thinking.   

“But, you are part of a dream…” -Max kept insisting on that.

“If I were a dream, then why would you have my miraculous strapped to your wrist, right about now?” -Ari asked him.

Hearing that, Max noticed that he was wearing the same spider-like wristwatch in his dream. How was that possible, was the question he made himself.   

“This is not possible.” -Max went on, as he looked at his miraculous.

“Believe me, the sooner you accept it, the better… both for you and me.” -Ari tod him.

* * *

Alix considered herself to be a girl with both feet on the ground, and usually her dreams were quite ordinary. She was used to dreaming about winning skating competitions, marathons, and other sporting events in her dreams, especially against her old rival, and possibly the only person who did everything possible to keep up with her, her friend Kim. But this dream was so crazy that she woke up and was a bit relieved to have done it, because it was just too crazy for her.

Sating on the bed, she chuckled as she remembered the most distinct things in the dream.   

“The guys are never going to believe this, when I tell them… especially, because I had Chloé in my crazy dream.” -Alix laughed. –“Imagine, me, having a dream with Chloé Bourgeois… at least it wasn’t a kinky one. “

“Why is that?”

“Because if it had been, I’d probably have nightmares for the rest of my… wait, who said that?”

“I did.” -the voice came from above her.

Looking up, she saw a tiny bug with a huge head floating above her head.

“Ahhh!” -Alix screamed.

“Wait, wait, don’t scream. I’m not going to hurt you!” -the little creature said.  

“Y-You… You… What are you doing here?! You’re supposed to be back in my crazy dream!” -she exclaimed on top of her lungs.

“I… I…”

But before the tiny creature could answer, Alix’s dad opened her bedrrom door and walked in, demanding to know what was going on.

“Alix! What is going on around here?!” –he asked her.

“Dad! Knock before you enter!” -Alix exclaimed.

“Alix, you just woke me, your mother and your brother with all that yelling. What is going on?” -he asked his daughter. Alix immediately understood by his voice tone that he was both upset and worried.

“Sorry, it was a dream. I thought that I was still dreaming, and it turns out, I wasn’t…” -she quickly came up with an excuse, hoping his dad

“Fine, it’s just that you scared us. We thought there was a burglar in your room… just try and go back to sleep, okay? It’s still a little early.”

“Okay, dad. Sorry again. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Alix.”

The pink-haired girl waited a couple of minutes before calling in a whisper the little creature that showed up. She wanted to know what was going on, and after that scare, she was going to demand a couple of answers.

“Where are you? Show yourself up!” -she demanded in a whisper.

“Over here.” -the creature said.

Alix saw that it had hidden behind closet, so she approached it really slowly, so as to not scare it. As for the creature, it stood there, floating in the air, waiting for Alix to approach it.

“Okay, I know two things. One, you’re supposed to be part of a dream, and second, am I still dreaming or not? Because I usually don’t have my dad breaking into my room like that.” -she eyed it with a serious look on her face.

“What you went through earlier wasn’t a dream, Alix, and just like it, I’m not a dream either. I’m your kwami, Daria.” -he said.

Daria was a small, greenish creature with a tiny body, large head and bright yellow eyes. He had long greens wings on its back, a long and thin tail. His forearms, lower legs and the front of his body were pink.

“My kwami?”

“Yes, your kwami. You have my necklace, so that makes it that I’m your kwami.”

“Your necklace?” -Alix said, as she noticed she was wearing it around her neck. “Whoa, I really do… and, tell me, why would I need a kwami?” -she asked.

“You’re about to know, girl, and you’re going to love it.” -Daria said.

* * *

Ivan’s reaction when he woke up and saw his kwami was, unique, to say the least. When he opened his eyes, he had the tiny little creature staring at him directly, its eyes practically glued to his. This went on for several minutes, until the kwami decided to break the silence.

“You sure are big.”

“What do you mean?” -Ivan asked.

“I mean that you’re big, when compared to my previous holder. He was a bit of a scrawny guy, but you… you’ve been really eating all of your vegetables.”

“Are you calling me fat?”

“No, I’m calling you big. If I wanted to call you fat, I would say it right away, kid.”

“Am I still dreaming? Because that dream looked too real in a few parts, and insanely crazy in others.” -Ivan declared.

“No, you aren’t… in fact, you never were. All that happened was real. You were magically transported back to your bed after you and your friends got the miraculous. In your case, you got my spiked-wristband, and by addition, me… can we stop looking each other in the eyes? Mine are starting to hurt.

“Mine too. Go ahead.” -Ivan broke eye contact and blinked his eyes.

“Thanks. My eyes were starting hurt already.” -the kwami said. –“I’m Muria, by the way.”

Muria was a small golden brown creature with a tiny body, large head and grey eyes. He had round bear-like ears, with pale brown inside, and a small tail. His forearms and lower legs were golden brown, while the front of his body and the area around his mouth and eyes were pale brown.

“Pleasure. But, since everything that I went through wasn’t a dream, then, I’ve got a couple of questions… I don’t know if you’ll be able to answer them, but…” -Ivan said.

“Well, I don’t think I’ll be able to answer everything. But the things I can’t, I’m sure Master Fu will answer them, when the time comes. So, lay it on me, Ivan.” -Muria told him.


	11. The Book of Prophecies

Everyone oi Miss Bustier’s class had had a crazy night, to say the least. Still, they could not tell anyone what happened to them. If they did, they would probably be committed into a mental hospital or something like that. The only thing they could do, was talk among themselves. Some of them were still in a bit of shock, trying to make sense of what had happened to them the previous night, while others just accepted it.

During lunch, they all gathered on the school’s courtyard to talk about it, and to figure out what they were going to do next. What happened to them was something that usually just happened to people in movies, or books, or cartoons. Needless to say, they still had no idea how to deal with it all. As they looked at their miraculouses, they all wondered how those objects were going to change their lives.

“I still can’t believe that this is happening.” -Marinette said.

“I should have expected this…” -Kim said, as he leaned against the wall.

“You? And why is that?” -Alix asked him, raising her eyebrow.

“I mean, the cave where we found those stones, it looked like something out of a dream or something. So, it makes perfect sense that they were magical.”

“No, it doesn’t, Kim, and you know it as well as we do! We never thought that those stones would lead to something like this!” -Alix shot at him.

“Oh yeah? I dare you to say that again in my face!”

“You and your stupid dares! Fine, if you want me to say it, I’ll say it! We never thought

“Guys, calm down, calm down!” -Nino begged them both. –“Look, I’m not going to say that I’ve fully accepted what’s going on here, because I haven’t, but we’re all on the same boat here.” -he said.

“Nino’s right. Whether we like it or not, we’re going through the same thing here, and we need to stick together, otherwise, we’ll all go bonkers.” -Marinette said.

“I’m still finding it hard to believe this is really happening. Doesn’t matter if my kwami tried to rationalize everything.” -Max said.

“But we all have to admit that they are all pretty understanding and nice.” -Rose said. –“Flint made me laugh so hard with his corny jokes. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard.”

“And Plagg… can you believe that I had to go to the kitchen find a stinky piece of Camembert for him to eat, before telling me what he was doing there?” -Adrien laughed. –“It’s the first time I see a cat liking cheese, instead of fish.”  

“You think that’s weird? Then, you should have seen what Imp asked me… the first thing that pint-sized antelope asked me was if I had mini spring rolls!” -Kim said.

“Tikki almost scared the daylights out of me when she showed up…” -Marinette admitted. –“As we talked, and I saw just how nice she is, I felt sorry that I initially called her a bug-mouse.”

They each shared with the others their own first experience with their kwami; and though some of them had not exactly been funny, they were still experiences they would all remember fondly… all, except for Chloé, who was still afraid of her own kwami.  

“At least you didn’t have a kwami, or whatever they are called, who looks like a bee chasing you, while looking for a place to hide form it.” -Chloé stated, as she remembered when her kwami showed up and scared her.

“It must have been scary, Chloé.” -Sabrina said. –“But, you’re not afraid of her anymore, are you?”

“Part of me is, the other isn’t.” -the blonde told her friend. –“I know that she won’t hurt me, but my fear is way stronger than me. It’s going to take me a while to overcome this stupid fear.”

“Do you want one of us to, you know, help you? We could take our kwamis with us, and maybe, that way you’ll feel safer and manage to bond with yours?” -Sabrina asked her.

“I don’t know… maybe.”   

“Look, it’s like Nino said, we’re all in this together, Chloé.” -Adrien told her. –“We have to help each other out.”

“Thanks, Adrikins.” -Chloé answered him, calling him by the nickname she had given him. Hearing this, Marinette felt a little spike of jealousy, but she let it slip, because she also felt bad about Chloé. Being afraid of her own kwami, because she looked like one of her biggest fears, that was something the blue-haired girl did not wish upon anyone.

They kept talking about what was happening to them, until they hit a vital point that none of them knew the answer for.

“Why were we chosen, and what’s this all about saving the world and all?” -Nino asked

“I don’t know. Tamara told me that everything would be explained by this Master Fu, soon.” -Juleka said.

“And that’s another thing. This Fu, what does he have to do with all this? What’s his part in this story?” -Alya asked out loud.

“I don’t know. I like having Flint around me. It’s like we’ve been friends for years, though I only met him last night. But the whole saving the world business, it scares me.”

“It scares me too. I mean, I fainted when Pin introduced herself. If I fainted because of that, I don’t even want to imagine what will happen to me with the whole saving the world and all.” -Mylene shrugged, just thinking about it.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” -Ivan smiled at Mylene, who returned him the smile.

“That old man is the key to all of this.” -Max said. –“If we want to know more about what’s going on, we need to find him.”

“But, how do we do that?” –Ivan asked.

“We’ll ask our kwamis.” -Marinette said. –“I mean, we didn’t get much time to talk to them, because we had to come to school. But, when we get home, we can talk to them and see if they know how we can contact him.”

“I agree with Marinette.” -Adrien said. This made Marinette blush lightly. –“Besides, tomorrow it’s Saturday, and that means we don’t have to worry about school, and we can focus on this… _just hope dad doesn’t schedule another photoshoot for this weekend. I already had enough posing for the rest of this month._ ” -he thought the last part, remembering just how stressing the one he had the previous afternoon had been.

“It’s worth a shot.” -Alya said. –“The way Trixx talks, it won’t be difficult to find out if she knows anything.”

The rest of the day took forever to end. It felt to them that instead of going forwards, time was going backwards. It felt to them that time had stopped and they were going nowhere. They did not know if it was because their teachers were giving them the same lecture they gave them at the start of every single school year in their classes, or if it was because they had bigger problems to solve; perhaps, it was both things.

Still, there was nothing they could do to make time go faster. They could only wait until the clock stroke 4 in the afternoon, and the bell rang, saying it was time for them to go home. When the bell finally rang, they all felt like a huge weight had been lift from them. As they climbed down the stairs into the courtyard, Sabrina told Chloé that she would meet her at the hotel later, because she needed to get Mika, in order to help the blonde, connect with her own kwami. And she was not the only one; Adrien and Alya also volunteered to help.

But, their plans, as well as the plans of everyone in Miss Bustier’s class for that afternoon went down the drain, when they saw the person, who was waiting for them at the school’s entrance. Wearing a light-brown coat over his Hawaiian red shirt with a white flower pattern, as well as a light-brown fedora, the old man looked happy to see them.

“Master Fu?” -Mylene asked.

“Good afternoon.” -he saluted them –“I told you, we would see each other again, sooner than you thought. You seem a little surprised to see me.”

“Well, the last time you showed up as a creepy hooded figure that kept haunting our dreams, and now you show up like this…” -Nino said.

“You’re absolutely right, and I must apologize to you all for it. I just couldn’t help myself. I’ve always loved theatre and what better way to create an impression, than showing up as a mysterious character?” -he chuckled.

“We’ve got so many questions…” -Nathaniel started.

“I know you do. And that’s why I’m here.” -Master Fu interrupted him. –“What would you say, if I answered all of your questions, over a nice cup of hot Oolong tea?”

They all hesitated, because they did not know how long that question session was really going to take. Among themselves, they probably had hundreds of different questions about things they wanted to know about the miraculouses, the kwamis, their mission, among other things. They predicted that they would need a whole day to have all of their questions answered.  

“Can’t we schedule this for tomorrow, maybe? It’s just that we don’t want to be late for dinner…” -Alix said.

“Don’t you worry, I can guarantee you, that no matter how many questions you might have, you will all be home by dinner time, or even sooner if you want to.” -Master Fu assured them.

Silently, they all agreed to follow the old man. Still, there was a little catch to it… the Gorilla, Adrien’s bodyguard. Like always, he was there to pick up Adrien and take him home.  

“But, how are you going to get rid of Gorilla over there? You know that he won’t let you go. What was it that you told me that your father said… Oh, yeah, he said.”

“ _After school, you should come home. If you want to go out with your friends after school, you have to let me know, at least a day before._ ” -Adrien ended Nino’s words, by repeating what his father told him. –“I know, I know… I can try and get rid of him…”

“That won’t be necessary, my dear boy. Just leave it to me.” -Master Fu said, as he walked away from the group, heading towards where Adrien’s bodyguard had parked and was waiting for him.

Approaching him, Master Fu began to talk to him, while Adrien and the others watched from the school’s entrance. Minutes went by, and the two men kept talking to one another. The kids wished they were flies, so they could approach and hear what they were talking. Finally, the chat between the two men ended and the Gorilla entered the car, while master Fu approached the kids once more.

“What did you tell him? He never disobeys one of my dad’s orders.” -Adrien asked.

“I merely convinced him that I was your new Art teacher and that I was going to take you all to an art exhibit, so I could see how you perceive art.” -Master Fu explained.  

“So, no magic, no hocus pocus, no illusions, no hypnotizing?” -Nino asked him.

“No, my dear Nino, just plain old talk, and of course, knowing which words to use.” -Master Fu told him. –“Argumentation is an art, and those who can use it, can accomplish just about anything, by making use of the right words. Plus, it’s a vital tool for anyone who wants to be an actor.”

“That’s very philosophical.” -Mylene declared. –“My dad would definitely agree with you.”

“You sound like Mr. Miyagi, when talking like that.” -Kim said.

“Thank you. I do admit that I always enjoyed that particular character. But we must hurry. Follow me. My house is a few blocks away from here.”

“Master Fu. Can I ask you something?” -Marinette asked.

“You already have, Marinette, but go ahead. I don’t mind being asked questions. A curious mind is a healthy mind.” -Master commented.

“What are you? I mean, what is your connection with kwamis and these miraculouses objects?” -Marinette asked him.

“Well, you could call me the Guardian of the miraculouses. It has been my duty to protect them and guard them for quite a while now.”

“So, you’re like our Zordon, or our Obi-Wan Kenobi, or even, our Muten Roshi?” -Kim asked Master Fu, quoting several characters from Power Rangers, Star Wars and even Dragon Ball.  –“You’re here to get us on the right path? Because our kwamis told us that we’re going to save the world and all, and everyone knows that all heroes need a mentor to send them on the right path.”

“Kim!” -Alix exclaimed with an upset voice.

“What?” -Kim asked, not understanding why she was so upset.

“This isn’t a comic book or a movie! This is real! Could you at least be serious for a moment?” -Alix shot at him.

“I’m just trying to light things up, okay?!” -Kim told her.

“Personally, I always preferred Yoda, but yes, I’m also going to be your mentor. Just don’t expect me to use a lightsabre or anything.” -Master Fu laughed.  

* * *

Like he told the teenagers, Master Fu’s house was really just a few blocks away from their school. Located in a two-story tall building, it was a first-floor small apartment. The living room was what you would call cosy. The walls and ceiling were all light-yellow, and the wooden floor had a violin-red colour. The furniture was Asian, quite ancient, probably from the end of the 19th century. Hanging on the walls, there were several Chinese paintings. They also noticed a diploma for acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine hanging on the wall.

“Sorry if were a bit tight here, but I’m not used to having so many visitors at the same time.” -Master Fu said, as he hanged his coat and hat. –“But don’t worry, we’ll be out of here in just a moment.”

“I thought you said we were going to have some tea.” -Sabrina said.

“And we are, just not here.” -Master Fu said. –“The place where we’re going to have our conversation, while having Oolong tea is a lot more airy.”

Saying that, he went to one of the closets and took out what looked like an old crystal ball. This one was laying on an intricate sculpture of two golden dragons, with rubies for eyes and emeralds for teeth. A beautiful piece, worthy of being in one of the world’s finest museums. Gently, he placed it on the middle of the floor, as he sat down in front of it.

“If I were you, I would close my eyes.”

But before they could do what the old man told them, a bright light, just like the one that appeared when he transported them back to their bedrooms, engulfed them and blinded them, just like last time. When their vision came back, they saw themselves in the very same garden they had been the previous night, when they received their miraculouses.

“The last time you here, I did not get the chance to tell you where you ended up… this, is the Garden of the Ancients.” -Master Fu told them.

“Y-You teleported us…” -Chloé said.

“Indeed, I did.”

“But where is this garden? Where are we exactly?” -Alya asked.

“You’re everywhere, and nowhere… think of this place, as a place that is between worlds.” -Master Fu told him.

“A place between worlds? You mean, like a pocket dimension? Is that what you’re telling us?” -Max asked him.

“If you prefer it that way, then yes. This is a place that can only be accessed by means of teleport. In order to do it, I used the Crystal of the Ancients, which has the power to do so, but it’s not the only magical object that enables you to teleport here. Your miraculouses also allow you to do so, but in order to do it, you must train that ability. Do not worry, I will show you how, when I think you’re ready.”

“Cool…” -Adrien said,

“And now, let us go to the temple.” -master Fu told them.

“Temple?” -Nino asked

“Yes, the temple. What did you think that building up on the hill was?”

“A castle, maybe?” -Juleka asked. –“Because it really looks like one.”

“It looks like one, but it isn’t. That, is the Guang Baohu temple, or Temple of the Protective Light.” -Master Fu said. –“Now come, we have a lot to talk about.”

* * *

The aroma of Oolong tea filled the kids’ nostrils, as Master Fu poured it into several cups, and then gave it to them. The room where they were, was absolutely different from the one where they received their miraculouses. This one was lined from top to bottom with varnished wood, and decorated in the way you see similar rooms in old shogun movies, filled with all sorts of old relics, bronze statues and ancient weapons. But the most interesting piece in the room was a giant hourglass that was floating in mid-air. This one gave off a green glow, which filled the room.

“Amazing, isn’t it? That is the Ampulla Hourglass. It’s a magical hourglass, because it has the power to control the flow of time in this place. By activating it, you can make time go faster, or slower than in the real world. Since we’re going to need a little bit of time to answer all your questions and such, and you need to be home by dinner time, I calibrated it to make time go slower, giving us enough time to do everything we need.” -Master Fu said, as he served a cup of tea to Marinette.    

“Thank you.” -Marinette said, as she grabbed the cup and took a seat with her legs crossed.  

“My pleasure, my dear.” -Master Fu said.

“So… can we start with the questions?” -Alya sked, as she sipped from the cup.

“I don’t see why not. But please, one at the time.”

“Okay, then, if you don’t mind, I’ll go first.” -Alya said. –“You told us that we had been chosen for a very important mission, which according to our kwamis, is to save the world. Who chose us, and what will we be saving the world from?”

“Those are two excellent questions, Alya. To answer them, I’m going to tell you a story. A story which began a long time ago. But to do that, I’m going to need something very important… hold on just a moment.”

When he came back, Master Fu was holding on his hands a book. The way it was bound, you could tell it was quite ancient. In its cover, you could see numerous animals drawn in an ancient Chinese style. Placing it on the floor, he said:

“This here, is the Book of Prophecies, and it’s existence goes back almost 5000 years. It was created by a powerful wu, or what you would call, a wizard, named Yao Lin.”

They all looked at it and admired its cover, recognizing the numerous animals that were in them; a ladybug, a black cat, a fox, a turtle, a bee, a wolf, a red-panda, a flamingo, a raven, an antelope, a doe, a spider, a dragonfly and a bear; the same animals that were depicted on the 14 different miraculouses.

“So, what does an old book have to do with us?” -Chloé asked, not understanding who such an old book could be linked to what was happening to them.

“Patience, my dear Chloé, patience… that is one of the things that you need to have, if you want to conquer your fear of bees, and accept your kwami as part of you.”

“H-How do you know I’m afraid of bees?”

“Because I’m always in contact with the kwamis. Zoey told me that you were afraid of her, and that she is going to do everything possible to obtain your confidence.” -Master Fu told her, with a warm smile. -“But, I digress. We must go back to the story… now, Yao Lin was a powerful wu, or wizard. He was a wizard so powerful that there was no other like him in the history of Ancient China. In his life, he had gained control over several kinds of magic. But, aside from being a wizard, he was also a very illuminated man, who saw that the world was not as idyllic as it should be. He travelled all over China and saw just how the poor and weak were oppressed by those who held the power. He felt that there was no justice in that, and that every single being should be equal. Of course, such thoughts were utopic and he knew that mankind was far from reaching a point, where everyone would be equal. But, that did not prevent him from finding a way to balance things.”

As the story went on, the kids listened to it and imagined how it would have been.  

“He believed that the strong should protect the weak, and to do that he consulted many of his scrolls and books of knowledge, looking for an answer, as to how he could achieve that.”

“And, the answer were the miraculouses?” -Alix asked.

“Indeed, it was, Alix. He found a powerful spell which enabled one to capture the spiritual essence of an animal, and lock it inside an object, which could then be harnessed by a user. But to do that, he would have to find the spiritual essences of certain animals, or just animal spirits, and those were spread all over the globe. As you might imagine, this would have been impossible to accomplish, if Yao Lin had not been such a powerful wizard. Using his magical knowledge, he created an amulet which enabled him to teleport himself to where the animal spirits were. Some of them were in China, others in Africa, Europe and even America. Still, he managed to capture them all, and he confined each one of them in a different object, a miraculous, which could then be used by those who were chosen by the animal spirits, as worthy of their power.”

“But, how could he know who the animal spirits chose to be the miraculous holder?” -Nino asked.

“That’s where the Book of Prophecies enters. Here, take a look.” -Master Fu said, as he opened the book.

Opening the book in one of the pages, this one showed an ancient warrior wearing a costumed armour resembling a ladybug, and to its left were numerous names written in golden ink; the last one was Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng? But that’s me… how could this be?” -Marinette said in shock.

“The Book of Prophecies is directly linked to each miraculous, and when it’s time for a new holder to possess it, the name of the holder shows up in this very page.” -Master Fu said.

“Then, all of our names are there?” -Nathaniel asked.

“Yes, they are.” -Master Fu said.

“Can… Can I take a look at it?”

“Of course, Nathaniel.”

With the others gathering around him, Nathaniel flipped through the pages and one by one, they saw each of their names written inn golden ink, on the page of their designated miraculouses.

“This is… insane.” -Max said.  

“Does this mean, the book is sort of alive?” -Rose asked.

“Not as you or me, but yes, in a way, it is. By being linked to the miraculouses, it can tell when something is about to happen.” -Master Fu said, waving his head –“And, if you have any doubts, flip the pages until I tell you to stop.”

Turning the pages, the old man told him to stop in a page where you could see the whole class dressed in the same way as they were the previous night, when they were given the miraculouses. And on the upper part of the page there also the kwamis.

“These are us… last night.” -Sabrina pointed out.

“Then, the book predicts the future, is that it?” -Juleka asked.

“Yes, and no. The book itself can be regarded as an entity, who reveals things. It only shows things when they are about to happen, not before. It predicted that you were coming here.” -he went on. –“But, believe me, when I tell you that this particular page only appeared hours before this happened.”

“So, it can’t tell us what will happen in the far future, just the immediate future.” -Adrien said. –“That doesn’t seem very helpful.”

“I do admit that it doesn’t, but this book has been invaluable throughout the millennia, and believe me when I say that it will help you, when you will need the most.”

“But, that still doesn’t explain why it chose us.” -Rose said.

“There’s no hiding anything from you, is there, Rose?” -Master Fu said. –“Then, allow me to go back to the story. Like I said before, the spirit animals that were locked inside the miraculouses chose those who they believed were worthy of their power. By using them, these holders became warriors who would fight injustice wherever this existed, and, if the it was the case, stand up against powerful evils. If this happened, then, the more powerful this evil was, the more miraculouses were activated.”

“Then, not every miraculous was activated at the same time, like in our case?” -Marinette asked the old man.

“Yes, Marinette, that would be the case. Sometimes, there were only one or two miraculouses activated. And there were others when you had ten or eleven of them.”

“But, if what you’re saying is true, then, in our case, all of them have been activated.” -Mylene said.

“Yes. In all of History, there were only two other times when all the miraculouses were activated at the same time. This is the third time that happens.”

“Then, that means, we’re going to face something pretty evil.” -Kim said.

“I’m afraid you are.” -Master Fu asserted.

Those last words hit them quite hard. If that was true, then, whatever their mission was, it would not be an easy one. They had read enough comic books, and watched enough television series, cartoons and movies, to know that when all of the heroes are needed to fight a bad guy, it meant the bad guy was incredibly powerful.

“So, what are we talking about here? What kind of evil are we going to face?” -Nathaniel asked.

“You will be facing an enemy, which has been closely connected with the origin of the miraculouses… Hawk Moth.”


	12. Hawk Moth, The Dark One

When Master Fu spoke that name, it sent shivers up everyone’s spines. They did not know why, but for some reason, that was a name they felt, meant bad news, for whoever heard it.

“Hawk Moth?” -Chloé said.

“That’s the name of our enemy?” -Adrien asked.

“Yes.” -Master Fu asserted.

“But, who is he and what does he want?” -Mylene asked, as she sipped her tea.

“For you to understand it, I must finish the story.” -Master Fu said with a calm, yet serious voice. –“As I was saying, Yao Lin created the miraculouses to protect and defend the people, and those who were chosen to be their holders, upheld their mission. The initial holders carried the miraculous with honour and pride, always bearing in mind the ideals that Yao Lin professed. But as time went by, like all people, Yao Lin grew old, and though he had used his magic to extend his own life, he knew that eventually he would die. That meant that he needed someone to pass on his knowledge… a pupil, or an apprentice if you prefer. And he found one, in a young man named Lee Zhou.”  

“But let me guess, he went Anakin Skywalker on Yao Lin, just like Skywalker went against Obi-Wan on _Revenge of the Sith_ , didn’t he?” -Kim asked, when he felt something hit him on the back of the neck. –“Ouch! Hey, what was that for?”

“Kim! Enough with the pop culture references!” -Alix told him, after hitting him.

“Yeah, I’m the one who’s supposed to be the nerd here, and even I’m not interrupting the story, by making those comments.” -Max said. Though he was still trying to make sense of all that was happening, Max felt compelled to hear out the rest of that story.

“Okay, sorry. I’m just trying to lighten up things. When I heard that dude’s name, it made my skin crawl.” -Kim said.

“That is quite alright. I do enjoy when you youngsters do that.” -Master Fu told them. It was obvious that although what he was telling them was incredibly important, he did not mind having them saying those things, if it helped deal what they were about to know. –“But, Kim is absolutely right when he said that. Lee Zhou did betray Yao Lin’s teachings… but he was not evil, not at first. Lee’s story is much more complex than you think. He was born into a family of five. His parents were humble farmers, who lived off the land. Being the oldest, he took care of his brothers. Of course, things did not stay that way for long. One winter, death claimed the lives of his mother and his brothers. After that, his father started to drink to appease the constant pain of losing his wife and children, and when drunk, he used to beat up Lee, sometimes because he believed that he had done something wrong, others, just because he felt like it. The poor young man became a prisoner of cruelty in its bitterest form. Eventually, his father also died and he saw himself alone in the world. He became a pickpocket in order to survive, until one day, when he had the misfortune of stealing the wallet of a stranger.”

“That stranger was Yao Lin, wasn’t he?”

“He was, Adrien, he was. Now, Yao Lin was a rich man, but not in terms of money. When Lee Zhou stole his wallet, and saw that it was empty, he cursed is luck, for he had not eaten in many days. That’s when Yao Lin shows up, and Lee Zhou, thinking that he was mad at him for stealing his wallet, tried to run away. But Yao Lin instead, talked with him and asked him if he would join him for supper.”

“But, you said that Yao Lin was not a rich man and he had no money in his wallet, so, how could he even pay for a meal?” -Chloé asked.

“Chloé…” -Alix hushed her.

“What? It’s an honest question. If you don’t have money, you can’t buy food for yourself, much less another person.” -the blonde argued.

“You’re absolutely right, Chloé. Yao Lin was not a rich man and he had no money, but being a wu, he was regarded as a holy man, wherever he went in China, and wherever he went, people would not deny him whatever it was he wanted or needed. Of course, being the humble man he was, he himself only asked for a plate of food or a place to stay for the night.” -Master Fu explained. –“But going on with the story, the old wu invited Lee Zhou for supper, and as the young man ate, he told Yao Lin everything about himself. Who he was, where he had come from, how he ended up on the streets, everything. And the more he heard, the more pity he felt for him, not only because he sympathized with him, but because he could see that he was quite smart; smarter than most people he had met over the years. He believed that one would not rise to its full potential, if not given the opportunity. With that in mind, he decided to make him his apprentice.”     

“Lee was a quick learner, and soon, Yao Lin felt that he had found the one who would succeed him. He taught him just about everything he could, happy to know that his knowledge would survive him, and pass on to a newer generation.” –Master Fu went on. –“But, unfortunately, things did not go as Yao Lin expected them. When it came the time for Lee Zhou to know about the miraculouses and their kwamis, Yao Lin taught him how one was chosen by them to use its power for good, while respecting the rules of its use. At first, the young man assimilated the knowledge, without questioning his master. But, later, as he studied the subject, he began questioning his master’s teachings, asking him why could not the miraculouses be used to wage on war against those who treated the weak badly, or exact a revenge. But most of all, he asked, why should the holders of such amazing power worry themselves in fighting for people who never cared about them in the first place. He began to believe that being the strongest, they should be the ones ruling, ensuring that justice was uphold by everyone, forcing their will. Yao Lin, of course, dismissed these questions, as being questions done by someone who was still young and who would eventually attend a higher comprehension of his teachings.”

“But didn’t happen, did it?” -Marinette asked.

“No, unfortunately it didn’t. Lee Zhou kept questioning his master, and soon became arrogant, believing Yao Lin could not teach him anything else. But he himself, believed that he had something to teach his master. He would take one of the miraculous and use it to prove that he was right, when saying that a miraculous holder could use its power to enforce its will, and thus, establish justice. One night, when he thought that his master was asleep, we went to the room where the Book of Prophecies and the Miraculous were, with the sole intent of claiming one of the miraculous for himself. Now, you’re probably wondering, how he was going to do that, given that the spirit animals inside the miraculouses decide who will be their holders, am I right?” -Master Fu asked the teenagers, with some of them waving their head. –“Well, he thought he had found a spell that would enable him to write his name on one of the miraculous pages. From the ones that were not activated, he decided that he was going to claim the Raven miraculous. But, when he opened the Book of Prophecies to write down his name, he was surprised to see a page with an illustration of himself being caught by Yao Lin. Obviously, he did not care for it. Flipping the pages, he found the one he needed. Casting the spell, he was about to write down his name on the page, when the door opened and Yao Lin caught him on the act. Asking him what he was doing, Lee Zhou answered back, by attacking his master. A fierce fight broke out, destroying numerous things in the old wu’s house, but in the end, Yao Lin was victorious.”

A deathly silence followed, as Master Fu drank his tea. Everyone in that room was captivated by the narrative, and wished to know what would happen next. Taking a deep breath, Master Fu went on with the story.

“And then, Yao Lin faced a terrible dilemma. Should he kill his apprentice, or should he spare his life? For attempting to both steal a miraculous and defile the Book of Prophecies with dark magic, along with attempting to murder him, Lee Zhou should be killed. But, if he did that, Yao Lin would betray his own teachings. Instead, he decided to banish him, ordering him to never return to that place. But Lee Zhou swore revenge, and told Yao Lin that he would come back one day, to finish what he had started.”               

“And, did he come back?” -Sabrina asked.

“Of course, he did, you idiot!” -Chloé told her friend. –“If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be here, listening to this!”

The blonde had not even finished the sentence, when she realized what she had done. Once more, she had insulted her best friend, and for what? Instantly, she bowed her head apologized to Sabrina.

“Sorry, Sabrina. I don’t know why I said those things.” -she said, repented.

“It’s okay, Chloé.” -Sabina just smiled. She could not stay mad at the blonde, even if she wanted to.

“Can we go back to the story?” -Ivan asked.

“Of course.” -Master Fu said. –“Now, where was I? Oh, yes, Lee Zhou swore revenge against Yao Lin. But he knew that his former master was still too powerful for him to have a chance to defeat him. So, he withdrew himself into the mountains, where he spent the next 20 years, studying and perfecting his magical abilities. In there, he also realized that if he wanted to prove to Yao Lin that he could change the world, by ruling with the help of a miraculous, he would need to get his hands on one of them, and that would never happen, so long as Yao Lin had the Book of Prophecies and the miraculouses in his possession. So, he decided that he would create his own miraculous, to prove he was right. But to do that, he would need to find a spirit animal and contain it. Using his powers, he managed to track one, right there in China… the spirit animal of the Moth. It took him quite a while to capture it and confine it in a miraculous that he himself had created for the purpose, but he did it. Still, every miraculous are inhabited by a kwami, who is essentially the personification of the spirit animal, which powers up the miraculous. But, a kwami can be hurt, and is essentially good, plus, Lee Zhou also realized that having a kwami telling him what he had to do, would be troublesome nonsense. So, he decided to fuse the essence of the miraculous, to himself, and thus, not needing a kwami to power-up the miraculous. With that, he became the very first Hawk Moth.”

Once more, the name of Hawk Moth sent shivers up everyone’s spines, and when Master Fu showed them an illustration of the man himself, they found out why his sheer name was enough to cause shivers. The armour he wore was the stuff of nightmares, as well as the weapons he wielded, all of them moth-themed, and extremely dangerous. His name caused shivers, but the illustration made their skin-crawl.  

“But, didn’t the Book of Prophecies predict that he was going to become Hawk Moth?” -Alya asked, still creeped out.

“Unfortunately, when the book predicted that, it was already too late for Yao Lin to stop him.” -Master Fu said. –“Still, when Hawk Moth started to spread his terror, by claiming to be the new ruler of that region, the spirit animals in the miraculouses felt the evil he represented and promptly wrote the names of the holders of all the miraculouses that had not been activated, which were then handed by Yao Lin.” -he went on. –“A fierce battle against Hawk Moth began, and things went from bad to worse, because as time went by, Hawk Moth began to manifest his true powers. He was able to pierce into people’s hearts and use the bad feelings and emotions that laid inside of them, to control them as his puppets, as well as giving them abilities to its liking. On top of that, he was also able to create tiny black butterflies, which he named Akuma butterflies that could either infect people to do his bidding, or to create a large army of scouts, who could take on the form that Hawk Moth desired. All of the Miraculous holders fought for weeks in a row against his army, and it seemed like he would be unstoppable. In the end, Yao Lin had to intervene and fight his former apprentice himself. And, what a battle it was…”

Flipping the Book of Prophecies once more, he presented them with an illustration of Yao Lin, surrounded by all of the Miraculous holders, fighting against Hawk Moth and his army. The illustration depicted a full-fledged battle scene, with Yao Lin facing Hawk Moth one-on-one, while the Miraculous holders battled the hordes of enemies created by the evil wu.

“After many hours, the battle was over, and Hawk Moth was dead… yes, Yao Lin was forced to kill his former apprentice, in order to stop him.”

“But, if Yao Lin killed Hawk Moth, how is it possible that he is still alive today?” -Rose asked.

“Now, that is what I call, a good question.” -Master Fu said. –“Yes, it’s true that Yao Lin had killed Hawk Moth. But the truth was, he had destroyed his body, but his evil spirit lived on, fused with his miraculous. Upon retrieving it, Yao Lin sensed its evil magic and he knew that that particular miraculous was too dangerous for anyone to use. He tried to destroy it, but it proved to be indestructible. Still, knowing that if someone would ever get his hands on it, the world would once more be in mortal danger. Locking it in a box protected by several charms and spells, Yao Lin made everything in his power to make sure that the Moth miraculous would never see the light of day again. Years later, Yao Lin died, and the holder of the Turtle miraculous became the new guardian of the Miraculouses and the Book of Prophecies, thus inheriting the task of also keeping the Moth miraculous under lock and key.”  

“But, something happened, didn’t it?” -Nathaniel asked.

“Yes. Turns out, the evil spirit of Lee Zhou, aka. Hawk Moth that was now trapped inside the Moth miraculous grew stronger, while inside the box it was in. It took it several centuries to do it, but, its negative energy attracted a man with a heart filled with evil. The man attacked the sanctuary where the Moth miraculous was kept and managed to steal it. The charms and incantations that Yao Lin had put on the box had weakened with time, as the Moth miraculous absorbed its energy, so it was easy for this man to open the box and claim the Moth miraculous for himself. When that happened, the spirit of Hawk Moth took control of that man’s body and mind, thus reborn. But this new Hawk Moth was far less powerful, because the evil that was inside his heart was far different from the one that inhabited Lee Zhou’s heart when he became Hawk Moth. Being weaker, did not mean he was not responsible for many evil things that happened. But, Hawk Moth’s spirit knew that if he wanted to rule the world, he would need to be at his full power, and to do that, he would have to find someone who’s hatred heart matched his own. To accomplish this goal, he created a cult, composed by men and women who he had given numerous powers, in exchange for unrequited loyalty. This cult would search for the one that would become the ultimate vessel for their master.” -Master Fu explained.

“Then, just like the other miraculous holders, there have been numerous Hawk Moth’s.” -Nino said.

“Precisely. Some of them were quite strong, while others were weaker… and not all of them went toe to toe with the miraculous holders. Just the strongest ones, who managed to awake the vengeful side of Hawk Moth.” -Master Fu told him. –“Eventually, they found the perfect vessel for Hawk Moth to be reborn, in 18th century Germany. The man himself was a German war baron who had an affinity for all kinds of sordid things, and who was also a psychopath with a taste for blood.”

“And, that’s the Hawk Moth we are going to fight against?” -

“Yes, he is.”

“And what does he look like? He must not be like the original Hawk Moth.”

“Let me see, if I can find the page that depicts his rise to power.” -Master Fu began flipping the pages, until he found the one that depicted the current Hawk Moth. He was incredibly different from the original one, still, he had the same cold blue eyes. If not for the metal mask he wore, he could actually pass by a regular businessman.   

“Wait a minute! I’ve seen him… or better yet, a statue of his!” -Alix exclaimed.

“You did?! Where?!” -Master Fu asked

“In my brother’s bedroom… or better yet, I saw photos of it in his bedroom the other day.” –Alix exclaimed.

Quickly, the pink-haired girl told the whole story that her brother had told her, while analysing the photos. The statue, the terrorist explosion in the Louvre, and of course, the strange and mysterious Chinese writings on the base of the statue. It did not take long for everyone, especially Master Fu, to figure out what had really happened that night… Hawk Moth was back.  

“Then, my worst fears have come true… I was hoping that we would still have time before he would come back. But this, this changes everything… I always thought that he had been vaporized that night, and the Moth miraculous lost once more, but it seems we were wrong.” -Master Fu said, shaking his head like an old elephant bothered by pesky mosquitoes.

These words were interpreted by the whole group as something bad, really bad. And the worst part of it, was that they knew that it most likely had something to do with something Master Fu had not yet told them about.

“Master Fu, sir? What do you mean by you thought that he had been vaporized?” -Marinette asked.

“Remember when I told you that there had been only two other times when all of the miraculouses were activated at the same time? The first was when Hawk Moth first appeared, and the second one, was in the end of 18th century. I should know, because I was there.”

“You were there? But, that would mean you are what? More than 300 years old?!” -Chloé exclaimed.  

“385 to be accurate, yes. There are certain advantages when becoming a miraculous holder, and to me, it was this one.” -Master Fu said, surprising all of the kids. They could not believe the old man was almost four centuries old; but given what they had seen until then, that was probably the least spectacular.

“So, you were also a miraculous holder once.” -Nino pointed out.

“Indeed. I was. I once held the Turtle miraculous, and Wayzz was my kwami, just as he is yours now, Nino. One of the side-effects from being a miraculous holder is that we age slower than normal people, and in the case of the Turtle miraculous, it has given me an extended life period.” -Master Fu explained.

“I see… but, what happened on that night?” -

“Like I said, my companions and I figured out that Hawk Moth was hiding in a castle near the Bavarian border, and we decided to confront him and end him. We battled through an army of his akuma creatures to get to him, and when we finally did, we faced him with everything we had.” -Master Fu said, as he recalled the battle in his mind.  –“He had reached a level of power not seen in almost 5000 years, and we knew we had to stop him, so he poured all of our power in our last attack, which resulted in a massive explosion, which sent us fly away into several directions, miles from where the battle took place. It took us hours to go back, even in our miraculous form. When we got there, we saw that the castle was nothing more than ruins, and there was no trace of either Hawk Moth or the Moth miraculous. We assumed that had been destroyed and the miraculous flew away… it had not been the first time it happened.”

“You didn’t try to find it?” -Adrien asked.

“At the time, we were exhausted and we needed to rest. We tried to find it later, but could not find anything. One of his last followers must have retrieved the statue to make us believe that he had really been destroyed.”

“But, what’s the problem? I mean, I know it sounds bad, but, what’s the difference of him having been turned to stone or not?” -Kim asked, as if it was no big deal.

“You don’t understand. If someone else had put on the Moth miraculous, Hawk Moth would take time to get his powers back, months, years even… but in this case, he’s still the same person he was three centuries ago, and that means that he has all of its powers, just diminished, and that makes him so much more dangerous.” -Master Fu

“That’s bad, really bad.” -Max commented.

“I just don’t get one thing. If he was turned to stone, how did he come back to life?” -Juleka asked.

“I don’t know if it has anything to do with this, but my brother told me that there was something carved on the base of the statue… what was it now?” -Alix asked herself, as she tried to remember what Jalil had told her. –“Oh, I remember it now! It said, if moonlight hits the statue, the curse will be broken, disaster will sweep the Earth and evil shall reign supreme. Plus, there was also another thing carved on it, an insignia which depicted a circle with 14 other smaller circles in it.”

When Alix said that, Master Fu became as white as sheet, like if he had seen a ghost. Trying to remain calm, he sat on the ground, taking deep breaths. This scared everyone in the room, because if the old master was scared, then, whatever it was going on, was really bad.    

“That fiend… he has always been one step ahead of all of us.”

“What do you mean?” -Rose asked.

“I mean that Hawk Moth probably believed that he could be stopped that night, so he made arrangements to ensure that even if he was defeated, he would be able to come back and finish what he had started.” -Master Fu told them. –“The sentence that Alix has said is no ordinary sentence, it’s an enchantment, a very powerful enchantment. By using it, he trapped himself in a stone cocoon and waited for the right alignment of the stars to come back.”

“Stars? What stars?” -Ivan asked.

“The insignia that your friend described is the symbol of the Miraculous, but it is also the representation of the 14 most powerful stars in the sky. Yao Lin chose that symbol for its purity and strength “ -Master Fu explained. –“Those stars are known to affect the magical aura of the Moon when they were all aligned, for those of us, who have studied it. He knew that when that time came, he would be brought back to life. All he had to do was wait.”

Hearing all of that was both confusing and terrifying. Knowing that they had to face an enemy who was bound on world domination was bad. But knowing that this same enemy had made every possible arrangement to ensure that even in defeat, he would get a second chance to complete his work; that made them feel absolutely terrified about it.

“Then… what does that mean?” -Marinette asked.

“It means, that we must start your training immediately. The sooner you are able to use your miraculous, the better.” -Master Fu asserted.


	13. Facing One's Fears

After hearing that story from Master Fu, and realizing that the enemy they were going to face was the closest thing to a real-life supervillain with 5000 years, that seemed impossible to destroy, most of the gang were having second doubts about all that.

"I don't know about you, but I'm having second thoughts about all of this." -Mylene said. –"Can I give my miraculous to someone else?"

"Me too. I did not sign for any of this." -Chloé admitted.

"I'm afraid, it doesn't work like that." -Master Fu told them both. –"A miraculous is non transmissible."

"But what if we don't want to have any part of all this?! I mean, I never asked to have that bee kwami showing up and starting to scare me! I don't care what anyone says, I'm not going to fight that Hawk Moth freak and that's final!" -Chloé exclaimed, as she got up and walked away.

Seeing her do that, Sabrina quickly followed her, but not before signalling the others that she was going to calm her down. As for Mylene, Ivan had to pep-talk her, to convince her that she could do it.

"Look, I know, you're afraid, but I'm also afraid, and you don't see me shaking." -Ivan told her, trying to sound funny. –"Come on, where's the Mylene that's not afraid of entering on a stage and play Shakespeare for everyone?"

"Right now? Afraid…" -Mylene said.

"Mylene, look at me. I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you." -Ivan told her, while looking her in the eyes. –"Remember when I dove and found the cave where we got those crystals? Remember that you were worried about me, because I could get hurt? Well, this time, I'm the one who's saying that everything is going to be alright, okay? I'll protect you."

Hearing him say that, Mylene hugged him and gave him a peck on the lips. It had not been the first time the two kissed, but every time she did that, Ivan became as read as a beet.

"Thanks, Ivan. I'll protect you too." -Mylene smiled, as she hugged him once more, making blush even harder.

The others seeing that all giggled. It was nice to see Ivan and Mylene encouraging one another. The two of them had become best friends from the first day they met, and since the begging of the summer, the two had grown closer. Still, to say that they were in a relationship like Alya and Nino was a little too much. They had both shared a couple of kisses, and were seen together many times, but they were not an official couple yet.

Still, being who he was, Kim was not the person who enjoyed that kind of mushiness. And before things between Ivan and Mylene go any mushier, he decided to shake things a little, by bringing everyone's mind back to Earth.

"Hey, shouldn't we start with the training? Like Master Fu said… we may not have much time." -he said.

"But what about Chloé and Sabrina? We've got to give Sabrina a little time to convince her to come back." -Adrien said.

"And what if she doesn't come back?" -Kim asked him.

"Well, as far as I know, she can't go back, without Master Fu's help here, and besides, we need to give Sabrina a chance to convince her to come back. Remember, we're all in this together."

"Wise words, Adrien." -Master Fu said.

"Okay, I guess we can wait a little bit for them to come back." -Kim shrugged his shoulders. –"But in the meantime, does anyone have anything to eat? Don't get me wrong, it's just that I haven't eaten since lunch, and I'm starting to feel a little weak" -he said.

"I think I do have a couple of boxes of cookies stored for an occasion like this. I'll go get them for us to have something to munch on, while we wait for the two of them, to come back" -he smiled.

As Master Fu went into the other division, Marinette approached Alya, and started to whisper something to her.

"Adrien's not just handsome and good-looking, Alya. He's also a born leader." -Marinette told her, sighing with passion.

"Girl, as if you needed any more reasons to be head over heels with him." -Alya giggled. –"Why don't you go and tell him that, right now?"

"Are you kidding?!" -Marinette exclaimed in a hush. –"I can't tell him that, he might think that I'm crazy or silly!" -she said, already imagining in her head the numerous possible outcomes of it, all of them ending with Marinette making fool of herself.

"Or maybe, he'll think that you're actually being nice and he'll start talking to you, and also making comments about how talented you are, girl." -Alya told her. –"You've got to shake that insane shyness you have, for your own good."

"Easy for you to say. Ever since I met you, I don't think you've ever been shy about anything." -Marinette said.

"Guilty as charged." -Alya chuckled. –"Maybe I should give you some lessons… you know, to try and get you to loosen up a little."

* * *

Sabrina followed Chloé, keeping a safe distance form her. The blonde eventually stopped in front of one of the ponds filed with koi fishes, and sat by it. The redhead waited a little to see what her friend was going to do, so as not to upset her. A few minutes went by, and she began hearing Chloé crying. It was unusual to see her crying. In all the years they knew each other, Sabrina had only seen Chloé cry twice. The first was when she sprained her left ankle and the pain was so great that she started crying, because she thought she was going to lose it. The second, was when she was 12 and a boy she liked broke her heart. On that particular occasion, she cried herself to sleep, and Sabrina was by her side all the way, making sure Chloé did not do anything crazy.

It was safe for Sabrina to say that Chloé was not the kind of person who cries over everything. But when she did, it was for something big. Approaching her slowly, she waited for the best moment to sit next to her. When she did, she did not utter a single word. She felt that it was best for Chloé to be the one to break the silence, so she just stayed there and waited. A few more minutes went by, and Chloé finally stopped crying. Still sniffling, she said:

"I'm scared…" -Chloé spoke in a whisper.

"What, Chloé?" -Sabrina asked, not having heard what her friend told her.

"I said, I'm scared." -Chloé repeated herself. –"I'm really scared, Sabrina. Nobody told me that I would have to fight against a crazy psychopath."

"That's why you ran away? Because you are scared?"

"Y-Yes… that, and because I don't want the others to think I'm afraid." -Chloé said, with a couple of tears still rolling down her face.

"Well, the way you talked, it felt more like you just didn't care, Chloé."

"I know, Sabrina… and in a way, it's best that they think that I'm just being stuck-up and snobbish about it than thinking that I'm afraid."

"But why? Why would you rather want them to think that?"

"Because I'm Chloé Bourgeois, idiot! I'm not used to be scared of anyone or anything, and you know why?! Because I make the rules, and if I think that something isn't the way I like it, I change it! But neither you, nor any of the others can't understand because you're all poor and…" -Chloé yelled at Sabrina, just to realize what she had told her, and started to cry once more.

"Chloé…"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry… I'm being my usual horrible, nasty self, and you don't deserve it." -Chloé kept crying, as the tears ruined her already smeared make-up. –"It's just… that I'm super afraid…"

Sabrina hugged her friend, rocking her in her arms, trying her best to calm her down. Humming a little lullaby her mother sang to her when she was sad, she did everything in her power to cheer up Chloé. When the blonde finally stopped crying, she released her from the hug, and smiled at her.

"Better?" -Sabrina asked her.

"Y-Yes…" -Chloé said, as a final tear ran down her face.

"Here, wipe those tears, so you don't like a mess." -Sabrina said, as she offered her a handkerchief.

"Thanks" -Chloé said, as she wiped her eyes and blew her nose with the handkerchief. –"I know I said this before, but I really don't deserve you has a friend."

"Sure, you do. I wouldn't be here, if I thought otherwise." -Sabrina kept smiling.

"How do you do it?"

"How do I do what?"

"Keep calm like that? After what you heard the old man say about that magical creep, aren't you the least bit afraid of him and what he might do to us?" -Chloé asked.

"Of course, I'm scared." -Sabrina admitted.

"But, you don't look like it." -Chloé insisted on the matter.

"But I am. One the outside, I look calm and serene, but inside, I'm super scared. I feel like a little girl, who's lost her parents on a trip to the supermarket."

"Then… why aren't you crying, or saying it?"

"Because I know that I won't be alone in this adventure. I'm going to have all my friends by my side. I'll also have my kwami, whom I know I don't know very well yet, but I know will get that chance. But more importantly, I'll have my best friend by my side." -Sabrina told her. Once more, she had referred to Chloé as her best friend, and the blonde was beginning to think if she really deserved Sabrina to call her that.

"You really are something, you know that?" -Chloé smiled.

"Maybe." -Sabrina giggled. –"So, are you ready to go back and face the music?"

Chloé closed her and took a deep breath, before turning to Sabrina and saying.

"I am. Will you help me get up?" -Chloé asked her, with Sabrina giving her a hand. –"Tell me the truth, do I look like I've been crying?"

"A little… here, let me…" -Sabrina said, as she grabbed the handkerchief and carefully cleaned the last of Chloé's smeared make-up. –"There, that's better. And you should put on your sunglasses. That way they won't know you were crying."

"Thanks." -Chloé winked an eye at Sabrina, just before putting on her sunglasses.

* * *

When the girls came back, the rest of the gang had already finished their light snack. Still, they had left a couple of cookies for Chloé and Sabrina, who ate them in a flash. With their stomachs a little fuller, Master Fu told them to follow him outside to the courtyard. Once outside, the old man clapped his hands twice and a square marble ring showed up in front of them.

"Like I said before, you are going to fight against a very strong opponent, and you need to be prepared for it." -Master Fu said.

"So, you're pitting us against one another, is that it?" -Nino asked.

"Well, your training will consist in fighting against each other, in order to train your abilities, and once you master them, you'll be ready to face whatever Hawk Moth throws at you, and believe me, when I say that he won't care if you are just teenagers." -Master Fu answered him. –"But first things first, in order to activate your miraculouses, you need your kwamis, which you don't have, am I right?"

"No." -they all answered I chorus.

"You need to always have your kwamis by your side. May I suggest that you let them tag along with you, wherever you go?" -the old man warned them. –"When I had Wayzz as my kwami, I used to let him come with me, inside a small pouch I carried with me."

" _I think I could make one of those for each of us._ " -Marinette thought to herself. –"I could even personalize them."

"So, does that mean, we can't do anything without them?" –Rose asked.

"Looks like we have to go and get them." -Juleka sighed.

"That won't be necessary. You all are connected to your kwamis by a magical link. All you have to do is think about them and they will be teleported to where you are." -Master Fu said. –"But, before you have any ideas, let me warn you that doing this will consume much of your energy, and that is not good if you're going up against an enemy. That's why you should always have them with you. Still, since we're only going to practice your transformation today, it won't hurt you to use that ability. Go ahead, try it."

"And… how do we that?" -Alya asked.

"Close your eyes and picture your kwami in front of you. Go on, do it." -Master Fu said.

Doing as they were told, the whole class closed their eyes and imagined their kwamis in their heads. Instantly, they heard their names being called, and when they opened their eyes, there they were, the kwamis. And just like Master Fu had said, they immediately felt a little dizzy from that extra effort. Mentally, they told themselves that they would only use that ability in case of dire a emergency.

All of the kwamis there; all of them, except for Chloé's kwami, Pollen. Chloé was still too scared of her kwami, and that prevented her from summoning her. Seeing that she was having problems, Master Fu decided to help her.

"Chloé, you're afraid of your kwami, aren't you?"

"You know I am…" -Chloé sighed, as she saw the others with theirs. Even Mylene, who'd also had a bumpy start in her relationship with her kwami, was now happy to see it. –"I just can't help it."

"I told her that we would help her." -Sabrina said, as her kwami, Mika, sat on her shoulder.

"It won't work… I'll never outgrow my fear of bees." -the blonde said. Hearing her, the others also felt sad for her.

"Of course, you will. With my help, you will. Give me your hand, please." -Master Fu, said. Doing as he asked, she gave him her hand, where he placed a small pebble. –"Now, imagine that that pebble is your kwami."

"O-kay." -Chloé did as she was told. Looking at it, she did not know what exactly the old master wanted her to do, but decided to obey everything he was going to tell her.

"Now, I want you to look at it, and whatever you do, do not take your eyes off of it. Plus, don't drop it, no matter what happens, understood?"

"Okay…" -Chloé said, a little hesitant.

The others gathered around Master Fu and Chloé, to see what was going to happen. If they were not trying to learn how to save the world, they would all, but Sabrina, enjoy seeing Chloé tormented by her fears. But, they all knew that if they wanted to succeed in that new endeavour, they would need Chloé, and that meant, they would be there for her.

"Now, tell me, what do you see?"

"A pebble?"

"Remember, it's your kwami, not a stone. Now, I'm going to ask you once moe, what do you see?"

"My kwami." -Chloé answered, still not seeing where that was going.

"Now close your eyes, and count to five before opening them again." -the old master demanded.

"Alright." -Chloé said, as she closed her eyes. –"One… two… three…"

"You can do it, Chloé!" -Sabrina encouraged her, as Mika also cheered for the blonde silently.

While Chloé had her eyes close, Master Fu used his magical abilities to turn the pebble into a stuffed-doll version of Zoey. When she reached five, she opened her eyes and saw the stuffed bee in her hand, and she instinctively wanted to release it, but true to her word, she did not. But at the same time, she did not move a muscle, paralyzed with fear.

"Now, Chloé, tell me, what do you feel right now?" -the old man looked her in the eyes.

"F-Fear… l-lots of f-fear…" -she said.

"Why?" -Master Fu asked her.

"B-B-Because there's a b-b-bee…" -

"It's not a bee. Tell yourself that. Say, it's not a bee." -Master Fu told her.

"It's not a b-bee-" -Chloé said, with some difficulty.

"Good, now, repeat that sentence again."

"It's not a b-bee." -Chloé repeated it.

"Excellent, you're doing alright. Now, say it again. Trust me." -Master Fu told her.

"I-It's not b-bee… i-it's not a b-bee… i-t's not a bee…" -Chloé stuttered in fear. But every time she said, she felt like her fear was steadily exiting her. –"…it's not a bee… it's not a bee… it's not a bee, it's not a bee, it's not a bee…" -she said, with less pauses between the repetitions.

All eyes, both from humans and kwamis were fixated on Chloé. Just like her, the teenagers did not know what Master Fu was attempting to do with all that, but the kwamis did, and they knew from the very beginning that it was going to work; the blonde just needed to keep going in order to work.

"Stronger! Let it all out!" -Master Fu ordered her.

"It's not a bee! It's not a bee! It's not a bee! IT'S NOT A BEE! IT'S NOT A BEE! IT'S NOT A BEE! IT'S NOTA BEEEEEEEE!" -she finally yelled, screaming from the top of her lungs. But this was not a yell out of fear. It was yell of courage. With her heart still beating like an engine, and panting hard, she once more said it. –"It's not a bee! This isn't a bee!"

"Good. Now, tell me. If it's not a bee, can it hurt you?"

"No, it can't." -Chloé said confidently.

"Are you sure?" -Master asked her.

"Yes, yes I am. It can't hurt me." -Chloé declared

"What can't hurt you?"

"This…"

"And that is?

"My kwami!"

"And can your kwami hurt you?"

There was a big silence, as Chloé finally understood what Master Fu had done. He had shown her that her kwami looked like a bee, but it was not a bee, and by not being a bee, it could not, would not hurt her. He had helped her conquer the fear she had that Pollen would hurt her.

"No, it can't." -Chloé answered with a decisive voice. –"Pollen can't hurt me."

"Then, if she can't hurt you, you have nothing to fear from her. You can call her." -Master Fu smiled at her.

Doing as he told her, Chloé dropped the stuffed bee kwami, closed her eyes and wished for Pollen to show up in front of her. Focusing her mind, she soon pictured her kwami in front of her, and a few seconds later, she heard a voice calling her name. Opening her eyes, there she was, Pollen, her kwami. For whatever reason it was, Chloé shed a small tear, as she looked at her.

"Hey." -the blonde said. –"Can we start over?"

"Sure!" -Pollen exclaimed, as she approached her. They were now just a few inches from one another. –"How do you do? My name is Pollen, and it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, again, Pollen. I'm Chloé."

Seeing that happening made everyone in the gang feel happy about it. They decided to let Chloé and Pollen to themselves for a bit, as they also trade a couple of words with their own kwamis.

"Did you see what he did?" -Marinette asked Tikki.

"Of course, I did, silly. Master Fu is very wise and talented." -Tikki chirped.

"Super talented is more like it. I've never seen anyone do something like that, before." -Marinette declared.

"Why, thank you, Marinette." –Master Fu said, as he took a bow. –"But, truth be told, it wasn't hard to cure her."

"You mean, you cured Chloé out of her fear of bees?" -Nino asked the old man.

"No, I did not do such thing. That is a fear that she'll have to conquer herself. I only helped her conquer the fear that she had about her kwami, by showing her that by not being a bee, it will not hurt her." -Master Fu told him.

"After all this time, you still have it." -Wayzz told Master Fu. –"You still remember that poor man, who was afraid to get out of his own house and you helped him overcome his fear?"

"I do. If I do remember correctly, you helped me out by scaring him out of the house." -Master Fu chuckled. –"Good times, those."

* * *

When finally, Chloé and Zoey joined them, Master Fu felt that they were ready for the next part of that day's lesson. They had already learned how to teleport their kwamis to where they were, now, it was time for the next big step. Using the miraculous.

"Now that you all have your kwamis with you, we can begin."


	14. Transformation Time

Before they could begin with the next part of their training, Master Fu felt that was vital for them all to know what would happen next. So, he decided to make them a couple of questions about the subject, and then continuing from there.

“First of all, from all that you’ve heard until now, can anyone of you tell me what a kwami is?” -Master Fu asked them. –“And kwamis are not allowed to answer this one, in case you’re thinking of answering it, Flint.” -he addressed Rose’s kwami, who he saw was getting ready to spill the beans.

“Why not? It’s not like I’m going to cheat by giving them the answer!” -Flint said, with his crack wise voice, which made Rose laugh.

“Because you know the answer, and they won’t learn it, if you just tell them.” -Master Fu told him. –“Now, who can tell me what a kwami is?”

Raising her hand, Marinette hesitated at first, when answering.

“A kwami… is the personification of the spirit animal that inhabits a miraculous?”

“That is correct, Marinette. Kwamis are indeed the personification of the spirit animals that inhabit a miraculous. But they’re not just that. They are essentially what makes the miraculouses work. Without a kwami, a miraculous is just an everyday object. Without them, they would not be able to work.” -Master Fu said. –“Which leads me to the next point. Each miraculous and kwami have certain similarities, but deep down, each one is unique. Have you all noticed that all the kwamis are different?”

“That’s because each one represents a different spirit animal, right?” -Alya asked.

“Exactly, Alya. And by representing different spirit animals, they also have different abilities. But like I said, they all have similar abilities, and these similar abilities grant their holders the same kind of powers.”

“What kind of powers?” -Nino asked.

“Well, for starters enhanced strength, body-mass, stamina, resistance, durability and invulnerability, that last one, only to a certain degree.” -Master Fu told them.

“You mean we can still be hurt?” -Nathaniel asked.

“That’s correct. Still, it will take a very strong opponent or enemy to inflict some serious injuries on you.”

“So, in other words, we can all go through a wall and come out with a few scratches on us, but, let’s say that someone shoots us with a weapon…” -Adrien said.

“Your suits will protect you from most injuries, but not a bullet, that I can guarantee you. Which means, you’ll have to be careful. Remember, you’ll not be bulletproof. So, if you see someone shooting at you, the first thing you should do is get out of its way, and if possible, disarm that person.” -the old master stated, when he was approached by Juleka’s kwami, Tamara, who whispered something to his ear. –“Oh, yes, thank you for reminding me, Tamara. Before I explain to you what kind of powers each miraculous grants to its holder, I think you must learn something which is also very important.” -he said, as Tamara went back to Juleka.

“What did you tell him?”

“You’ll see in a minute.” -Tamara winked at Juleka, who returned the wink.

“As you might have already noticed, the kwamis are not some stuffed-dolls, they’re living creatures. And, like all living creatures, in order to gain their strength, they must ingest food. Of course, when he created the miraculous and the kwamis, Yao Lin made them, so that if they ingest a particular kind of food, it will boost their energy levels.”

“So, they will only eat a certain kind of food?” -Sabrina asked the old master.

“No, they can eat pretty much anything. But their favourite food, will give them an extra boost of energy. Miraculous holders have learned to always have some of their kwami’s favourite food always with them, for emergency purposes.”

“And was their favourite food?” -Chloé asked.

“Why don’t you ask them yourselves? Each one of them has a favourite one.” -Master Fu smiled.

Following Master Fu’s suggestion, the teenagers asked their kwamis what their favourite food was, and the answers were as different as each kwami was.

“Well, I’ve always had a sweet tooth, so, my favourite food is cookies.” -Tikki giggled, making Marinette also giggle.

“Camembert… sure, my favourite food is cheese and there lots of other cheeses, but there’s nothing like a big, delicious piece of Camembert to make this cat feel full of energy.” -Plagg said, much to Adrien’s disgust, given his hatred for Camembert cheese.

“Oh, I don’t know… over the millenniums I tried so many good things, that it’s still hard to say if my original favourite food is still my favourite, but for energy boost purposes, I can say that my favourite food is black liquorice. I love how it leaves my tongue black.” -Trixx chuckled.   

“My tastes are very simple, and as such, my favourite food is also something rather simple as well. Carrots.” -Wayzz told Nino.

“This is going to sound a little cliché, I know, me being a bee-kwami and all, but my favourite food is honey, sweet delicious honey.” -Pollen smiled at Chloé.

“Well, kiddo, I told you we were going to make a great team, and we’re going to make an even better team, if you can get me a little piece of sweat bread. I love it, especially if you place a little slice of ham in the middle of it.” -Mika winked an eye at Sabrina.

“I’m not really picky with my food, but there’s one thing that I really like to eat, and that is peanuts.” -Pin told Mylene.  

“I don’t think I need to tell you that I’m pretty much crazy for mini spring-rolls, do I?” -Imp smiled at Kim, who smiled back at the kwami.

“Okay, so I’m one of those creatures that pretty much loves to eat anything that is absolutely delicious, but there’s one thing that I learned to love, with one of my previous holders, back in the Middle Ages, and that is… cherries. You know? Those things that you put on top of an ice cream or on a delicious cake… great, now I’m drooling. See what you made me do?” -Flint told Rose, who kept laughing with his antics.

“I really like tofu, especially if it’s cut into cubes.” -Mulan told Nathaniel.

“I mostly like chocolates, bonbons to be more exact My favourite ones are the cream filled ones.” -Tamara whispered to Juleka’s ear.

“I eat pretty much anything, but if you can get me a bowl of strawberries, I won’t say no to it.” -Ari told Max.  

“I for one love pickles, and you better close up the jar, because if I find it that you didn’t screw the lid right, I’ll even drink the vinegar.” -Daria warned Alix.

“One word, big guy… pudding.” -Muria told Ivan.

Now that they knew that their kwami’s favourite food was, the whole gang agreed to find a way to always have a little bit of it with them, in case of emergency.

“Now that you know, you don’t have any excuses not to have those treats around.” -Master Fu smiled to them. –“And now, let’s get to the most important part. Like I said before, once you transform, you’ll have an array of abilities and powers that are standard for all of you. But, just like the kwamis are different from one another, so are some of your abilities, which are pretty much unique.”

“And what are those unique powers, Master Fu?” -Ivan asked.

“Well, before I tell you that, let’s see who has what when it comes to the miraculouses.” -Master Fu said, as he approached them. –“For example, Marinette, you have the Ladybug miraculous.” –he said, as he approached them all, one by one. –“Adrien, yours’ is the Cat Miraculous. Alya, yours’ is the Fox miraculous. Nino, yours’ is the Turtle miraculous. Chloé, yours is the Bee miraculous. Sabrina, yours’ is the Wolf miraculous. Nathaniel, yours’ is the Red Panda miraculous. Alix, yours’ is the Dragonfly miraculous. Kim, your’ is the Antelope miraculous. Rose, yours’ is the Flamingo miraculous. Juleka, yours’ is the Raven miraculous. Max, yours’ is the Spider miraculous. Mylene, yours’ is the Deer miraculous. And finally, Ivan, yours’ is the Bear miraculous.”

“So, different Miraculouses mean different kwamis, which mean different powers and abilities.” -Max declared. –“Does that mean, those abilities are related to the animals that the kwamis represent?”    

“Some, yes, other not so much. For example, Marinette, yours grants you what I like to call, the good luck ability, because it grants you a sixth sense that enables you to see things around you that might help you getting out of a sticky situation.”

“That could come in handy, given that Marinette is super clumsy and will probably get herself into trouble.” -Chloé giggled.

“Chloé!” -Marinette exclaimed, angry at her.

“But it’s true. You are clumsy.” -Chloé said.

“Now, now, I don’t want any kind of arguments here, understand?” -Master Fu warned them both, silencing both Marinette and Chloé. –“Now, where was I? Oh yes, Adrien, yours grants you the ability to destroy or inflict massive damage on whatever you touch.”

“Like the Midas touch, but instead of turning things into gold, I destroy them?” -Adrien asked.

“Yes, pretty much like it.” -Master Fu waved his head. –“Alya, yours grants you the ability to create powerful illusions, which you can use to confuse and misdirect your opponents.”

“It’s just your thing, Alya. It’s like using misinformation.” -Nino said, which earned him a smile from his girlfriend.

“Yours Nino, grants you an ability to create and project defensive shields around a person or an object.”

“Makes sense, given that turtles are associated with defense.” -Nino said.

“Yours Sabrina, grants you the ability to cast a gust of frozen wind that freezes just about anything in front of you.”

“That sounds great!” -Sabrina rejoiced.

“Yours Chloé, grants you the ability to become as tiny as a bee or an ant.” 

“That doesn’t sound like an awesome ability. And here I thought that I would at least get a cool power.” -Chloé said, a little annoyed.

“But it is a great power, Chloé.” -Sabrina told her. –“Imagine that you can pretty much disappear in front of a bad guy, and then reappear in front of him to punch him in the face? You can see him, but he can’t see you.”

“Well, it might not be as lame as I thought it was, Sabrina.” -the blonde admitted.

“Yours Nathaniel, grants you the ability to draw whatever it is you want, and make it appear in real life.” -Master Fu said.

“And since you’re quite the artist, I think that you’re going to love to use it.” -Mulan told Nathaniel.

“You bet I will.” -Nathaniel smiled to his kwami.

“Yours Alix, grants you the power to fly at supersonic speeds.” -Master Fu told her.

“That rocks! I bet I can even break the barrier of sound.” -Alix said, excited.

“Yours Kim, grants you the power to give superhuman jumps and leaps.”

“Cool. I bet I can even jump high enough, for you to give me a ride when I need to, Alix.” -he joked with the pink-haired girl.

“Keep dreaming, Kim.” -she scoffed at him.   

“Yours Rose, grants you the power to duplicate yourself, so that you can be in two places at once.”

“Quite handy.” -Juleka told Rose.

“Yours Juleka, grants you the power to manipulate shadows at your will, and do your bidding.”

“So cool! You’ll look like an anime characters!” -Rose exclaimed, making Juleka blush a little.

“Yours Max, grants you the power to climb and crawl on walls and other kinds of surfaces.”

“Awesome, bro! You’re the new Spider-Man!” -Kim exclaimed, high-fiving Max.

“Yours Mylene, grants you the power of invisibility, which if used correctly, will make you a danger to any enemy.”

“You’re going to be an invisible ninja, Mylene!” -Kim said, making Mylene giggle

“And finally, yours Ivan, grants you the power to cause small earthquakes through the use of your super strength.”

“Whoa, that sounds awesome.” -Ivan said.

“Like I said, each one of your miraculouses is unique, which makes each and every last one of you, unique as well.” -Master Fu said.  –“Which leads me to the last thing you’ll need to know, before the training begins. In order to activate your miraculous, and thus, your transformation, you need to say your kwami’s name, followed by the expression “Transforme moi”.” -he said.

“That’s it? I was thinking that we would need to make a crazy pose and yell a phrase like “By the power of Grayskull… I have the power!” -Kim said.

“Nope, that’s just it.” -Master Fu chuckled, waving his head.

“You’ve been watching too many He-Man and the Master of the Universe episodes, dude.” -Adrien laughed.

“That said, I think it’s time for you to practice your transformations.” -Master Fu said.  

* * *

The next part was the trickiest. One thing was to know the theory, the other was to use what you know in theory and put it into practice. Still, they were all pretty anxious to try it. So, to make sure that everything went their way, they decided among themselves that they would each transform at turn.

“Okay, who wants to go first?” –Adrien asked.

“I don’t know… what if we can’t transform?” -Alix asked.

“Of course, you will, Alix, trust yourself. Plus, you got the best kwami in the business.” -Daria told her.

“The best? Sorry, but I’m the best around here!” -Mika told Daria.

“Oh yeah? In your dreams, mister!” -Daria shot back.

“Now, now, let’s not get into fights. I hate it when people fight, and that goes for kwamis as well.” -Sabrina said, looking both Mika and Daria in the eyes.

“You heard her, no fighting.” -Alix told Daria.  

“I’ll go first.” -Marinette said. –“Come on, Tikki.”

“Okay.” -her kwami answered back.

Climbing onto the ring, Marinette stretched herself and prepared herself to transform for the first time. But, when she was about to do it, she became nervous.

“I can’t…” -Marinette whispered to Tikki.

“Why not?” -the little kwami asked her.

“Everyone’s looking at me.” -Marinette whispered.

“Marinette, don’t let that distract you. Just imagine yourself alone.” -Tkki told her.

“But, what if it doesn’t work? What if I can’t transform?” -Marinette asked her.

“Trust yourself. Besides, you got me, remember?” -Tikki winked at her.

“Okay.” -Marinette sighed, closing her eyes for a second, and opening them the second after. She imagined herself alone, just her, with Tikki by her side. Taking one deep breath, she exclaimed the magic words. –“Tikki, transforme moi!”

As soon as she said those words, Tikki was literally sucked into one of the earrings, and a surge of light enveloped Marinette, changing her clothes into a red skintight bodysuit with a black collar and black spots. On her face, a red mask with five black spots in symmetrical design showed up, helping cover her face, and making it harder for one to identify her. The bands holding her hair changed into red ribbons, mirroring a ladybug’s antennae. As a weapon, hers was a red with black spots yo-yo, she had wrapped around her waist. When the transformation ended, the light faded, revealing fully her new appearance.

Her friends could not believe their own eyes, as they looked at her. She was pretty much unrecognizable. One moment she was your average everyday girl, the other, a masked superheroine.

“Whoa…” -Rose said.

“Now what do you know?” -Kim said.

“She looks super-hot…” -Nino said, when he felt something hit him on the shoulder. It was Alya. –“Ouch! What was that for?”

“What was that for? Let’s see, you just called another girl super-hot, with your girlfriend standing next to you. Plus, the girl you called super-hot is my best friend, and I don’t think she likes to hear that being said about her.” -Alya shot at him.

“Sorry, it just came out.” -Nino said, with a smile on his face. –“Besides, you know I only have eyes for you.”

“You’re lucky, you’re such a sweet talker, you know that?” -Alya smiled at him. –“I can’t hardly believe it. You look awesome, Marinette!” -she told her best friend.

In fact, neither could Marinette. She was still in shock with what had just happened to her. Her whole being was overwhelmed with the amount of feelings that were coursing through her mind. She did not know what felt best, the feeling she had that told her she could do anything, the way the tight bodysuit felt against her skin, or everything combined. Still, she liked those feelings.

“Marinette? Are you listening to us?” -Alya asked her.

“Uh, what? Yeah, I am… sorry, this just feels too much.” -the blue-haired girl said.

“How does it feel?” -Alix asked her.

“Well, it’s going to take me a while to get used to having this bodysuit glued to my skin, but other than that, it feels wonderful.” -she admitted. –“Does anyone have a mirror I can use? I know this is cliché, but I need to see how I look.”

“One moment…” -Master Fu chuckled, as he snapped his fingers.

From out of the blue a mirror appeared in front of Marinette and she could see just how she looked in her super-suit.

“ _Whoa, I really look great. Red and black are a match made in heaven._ ” -she thought to herself. –“ _I really look super wearing this… plus, as a bonus, it doesn’t make my butt look big._ ” -she told herself.

“So, do you like it?” -Mylene asked her.

“No, I don’t. I love it!” -Marinette giggled, as she walked away from the mirror, and stopped at the edge of the ring, looking at the others. –“So? Are you guys going to stay there all day, or are you also going to transform?” -she asked them -“Come on, I want to see us all in costume.”

“I’ll go next!” -Adrien said, as he climbed on to the ring. –“You ready, Plagg?”

“As if I had another choice…” -Plagg said sarcastically.

“Plagg, transforme moi!” –Adrien exclaimed.

Just like it happened with Tikki, Plagg was sucked into his miraculous, and the second after, Adrien was enveloped by a surge of light. His clothes changed into a textured black skintight catsuit with metal details, matching gloves with claws on the fingertips and boots with a hidden wedge, silver toes, and paw-shaped treads. Around his neck a golden bell appeared, connected to a zipper on the front of his costume, and a long belt wrapped around his waist, which hanged out from the back like a tail. On top of his head, he was wearing black cat ears, as well as a black mask around his eyes. To complete the transformation, his eyes became cat-like with green sclera, dark green irises, and oblong pupils. As a weapon, his’ was a metal staff. When the light disappeared, they were all surprised by the result. If Marinette had become hard to recognize, then Adrien was absolutely unrecognizable.

“Whoa, I look pawsome.” -Adrien cracked a pun. –“Get it, guys? Pawsome?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, kitty cat. You look good, but not irresistible.” -Marinette said, when she realized what she said. –“ _Oh my gosh! I can’t believe I just said that… no, wait, just keep it cool, Marinette. Just go with the flow._ ” -she told herself, trying not to make a fool out of herself.

“Maybe, but that doesn’t stop me from just being it.” -Adrien smirked. –“ _Whoa, hold down, why am I saying these things? I got to control myself, or I’ll end up saying something I might regret later._ ” -he thought to himself.

Hearing that, Master Fu laughed so hard that instead of laughing, it felt like he was roaring.

“Sorry, but it’s been a while since I saw something like this.” -he said. –“I’m sure that by now, both of you and your friends have noticed that you are behaving a little differently than what you usually behave, am I right? Remember when I told you that kwamis enhance certain aspects of your personality? This is exactly what I was talking about.”

“Then, you mean that I’ll be cracking puns all the time?” -Adrien asked.

“And I’ll always be flirting with everyone? I didn’t even know I could actually flirt…” -Marinette said, worried about what she might say.

“Don’t worry, it’s only in the beginning. The more time you spend as your Miraculous selves, the better you’ll control those aspects of your personality, until they become like a second nature to you.” -Master Fu told them.

“Well, that’s a relief.” -Marinette sighed.

* * *

One by one, they all transformed into their superhero forms, and each one of them looked practically unrecognizable, when compared to the way they looked on a normal day.

When she transformed, the tips of Alya’s hair became white, while wearing it into a high ponytail. Her suit was orange, having a white front and black arms, legs and collar. Attached to her lower back she had an orange piece of fabric with a white tip, mirroring a fox’s tail. Two orange fox ears with white insides and black tips appeared attached to the top of her head, as well as an orange mask with a white bottom half and a black dot above each eye. As a weapon, hers was an orange flute staff with white stripes.

Nino’s transformation also made him unrecognizable. His clothes were replaced by a green skintight suit, with a brown belt around his waist, and dark-green boots. On his back, he was wearing a protective turtle-shell. With his glasses gone, he was now wearing a green mask. As a weapon, his’ was a pair of black and green tonfas with turtle-like motifs.

Chloé looked like an entirely different girl in her superhero form. She was wearing her hair back in a ponytail, tied with a black hairband, with two black antennae-like ribbons sticking out from the hairband. Her suit was a yellow skintight suit with three black stripes on her torso and two on the upper thigh, with her upper rib cage covered in black. The sleeves of the costume were also black, ending in fingerless gloves. Her lower legs were also black, starting directly below the second stripe on her thigh. As a finishing touch, she wore a yellow and black mask. As a weapon, hers was a yellow and black trompo, with a white string.

Sabrina also looked different. Her suit consisted in a grey skintight catsuit with patches of white fur on her shoulders, elbow gloves and lower legs, as well as grey boots. Her elbow gloves had claws on their fingertips. Attached to her lower back she had a grey piece of fabric with a white tip, mirroring a wolf’s tail. On top of her head, she was wearing grey wolf ears with white insides, as well as a grey mask with a white bottom half. And just like it happened with Adrien, her eyes also changed, but in her case only in colour, from sea-green to golden. As a weapon, hers was a grey steel fan with wolf-like motifs. 

Nathaniel’s transformed suit bared some resemblance to Adrien’s suit. His suit was a textured reddish-brown catsuit, with black elbow gloves and tall black boots with a white cuff and stripe. Attached to his lower back, he had a white and reddish-brown striped piece of fabric with a black tip, mirroring a red-panda’s tail. On his wrists, he wore silver metal bracelets, as well as a black leather belt with a chain hanging from it on both sides. On top of his head, he was wearing red-panda ears with black tips, and a black mask with a white bottom half. As a weapon, his’ was a black and red spear, which could turn into his magical pencil.

As for Mylene’s transformed form, her suit was drastically different from the other girls. She was wearing a short long-sleeved greyish-brown spotted dress with white trimming on the sleeves, and a white front. She was also wearing black gloves and white spotted stockings with a pair of black Mary-Jane shoes. On top of her head, she had deerlike ears with white insides and grey tips and edges. Around her eyes, she wore a black mask. But, if there was one thing in her in this form that made her absolutely unrecognizable was her hair. Instead of her usual dreadlock look, she wore hair now in two multicoloured pigtails. As a weapon, hers’ was a brown and white bow, with matching arrows.    

Rose’s transformed form was quite simple, yet incredibly beautiful. Her suit was a pink skintight short sleeveless dress with white trimming around the strapples, pink short gloves that end halfway up her forearm and knee-high pink socks with black sandals. On her gloves and strapples she had small pink tufts of feathers, and around her eyes she wore a pink mask with a black bottom half. As a weapon, hers’ was a walking stick with a flamingo head-shaped handle.

Juleka’s transformed form had a lot in common with Rose’s, but it was still quite different. Her suit was a black skintight suit with black feathers on her lower arms, as well as on her boots, which had purple toes. She wore her miraculous belt around her waist, and a black mask around her eyes. It was sleek, yet stylish. As a weapon, hers’ was a beautiful antique hand-mirror with raven motifs.  

Alix’s transformed form made her look completely different from her usual self. She had a hair style that was basically her combed up to a single point. Her suit was a green and pink skintight textured sleeveless bodysuit with matching thigh-high boots and elbow fingerless gloves. She also wore a green mask around her eyes. Attached to her back was a small piece of fabric that mirrored a dragonfly’s tail. On top of that, she had a pair of dragonfly wings on her back, which were fully functional, allowing her to retract them when on the ground. As a weapon, hers’ was a stylish green and pink frisbee.

Kim’s transformation gave him a brown skintight suit with a white front, along with black fingerless gloves and black boots with brown toes. Attached to his back he had a white and black striped piece of fabric, mirroring an antelope’s tail, while on his head he had a pair of pointy ears, as well as a pair of arch-like black horns. Like the others, he was wearing a mask around his eyes, his being brown. As a weapon, his’ was a black and brown bat that he had strapped to his back.

When activating his miraculous, Max’s clothes were replaced by a purple skintight suit. Its sleeves were stamped with black spider-webs designs, while wearing leg wraps and black ankle-length ninja boots. Around his waist, he also wore a belt shaped like 4 intertwined spider legs. And to make sure no one recognized him, he wore a purple mask with three red dots above each eye. As for a weapon, his was a lasso that had the ability to extend itself to his carrier’s will.

Ivan ‘s miraculous suit a little different from the rest of the guys’ suits. His was a golden-brown short-sleeved skintight suit, with a pale brown front and matching gloves. His boots were golden brown, mirroring a bear’s foot. On his head, he had round bear-like ears, and a golden-brown mask, with a pale brown bottom. As for a weapon, his’ were a pair of yellow metallic brass knuckles.

“Whoa… look at this!” –Max exclaimed, surprised by his own suit.

“We look fantastic!” -Kim said.  

“You look amazing, Rose.” -Juleka said. –“ _You look always look pretty in pink._ ” -she thought to herself.

“You also look amazing, Juleka.” -Rose complemented her. –“ _Black makes you look super sexy._ ” -she thought to herself.

“I just hope people don’t confuse me with a raccoon.” -Nathaniel said.

“I’m not so sure about these white tips…” -Alya said, as she looked in the mirror.

“Well, I like it. They give you a foxy look.” -Nino winked at her, with a smirk on his face.

“You now that’s not the least bit funny, Mr. Oogway.” -Alya joked.

“You look super pretty, Chloé.” -Sabrina said, admiring Chloé’s figure.

“Thanks. But, you also look cute, Sabrina.” -Chloé told her.

“You look really pretty, you know that, Mylene?” -Ivan complemented Mylene.

“Thanks, Ivan. I also like your suit.” -Mylene told him.

“I can’t wait to try these awesome wings.” –Alix said, still not believing how awesome her suit looked on her.

“ _They really behave like youngsters… and yet, it will probably this kind of excitement only seen in youth that will make them formidable warriors._ ” -Master Fu thought to himself, as he watched them admiring how they looked.


	15. Setting Things in Motion

Days went by, and while Marinette and the rest of Miss Bustier’s class tried to learn how to use their powers during their spare time, always under the supervision of Master Fu, the forces of evil were also getting ready to make their move. Not knowing anything about the miraculouses having been re-activated once more, Hawk Moth had finally sent Madame Romani and Reptile to scout the city of Paris, in search of someone or something that could help him raise an all-powerful army.

Hawk Moth had been explicit when giving them orders. They were to report what they were seeing, using a telepathic link that Hawk Moth had created, so he could talk to them, and they were not to do anything, or engage in any kind of activity that would disturb what they were seeing, unless he felt it could benefit them. With those orders, they both went their separate ways, so as to cover more ground. Madame Romani decided to scout the streets of Montmartre, hidden in the shadows, while Reptile went to the sides of Nanterre.

The two had very different ways of approach. Madame Romani made use of her hypnotic power to create illusions, so as to survey what was happening around her, without risking being seen. As for Reptile, using his cloaking powers he could become anyone he wanted to, and by doing that, he could walk in and out of anywhere he wanted to. And on that night, his instincts told him to enter a party that was taking place in a small mansion he was passing by. Using his powers, it was easy for him to fool both the security guards, as well as the patrons, sneaking into the party, unnoticed.      

The party was one of those high society parties that was known for being on every high-society magazine, and on every online blog of the kind. A party where the rich would come to brag about their so-called accomplishments, and how they had achieved something grand in their lifetime, while eating fancy food and showing up wearing fancy clothes and jewellery; some of it, valuable enough to feed an entire mall village for a couple of months, providing every single inhabitant with four meals a day, plus snacks. It was a party where you would at least need to have a few millions in your bank account, just to get into the foyer, so you could socialize with the same kind of people as you. It was also the kind of party that made Reptile feel sick, because all his life he had always wanted to be a part of that elite, and never could.  

“ _Look at all these people… filthy rich, squandering their opulence like this._ ” -Reptile thought to himself, as he passed by a couple whose clothes probably worth more than what he had won in all his life. –“ _When my master rules this world, I’ll be sure to give them what they deserve._ ”

Walking past one of the many buffet tables, he just felt like spitting on the food, as a dark memory of his past, when he was still just plain human, made its way into his brain.  

(Flashback)

_Marcel had had a lousy day. Not that his other days were any less lousy, but that particular one had managed to make him feel even worse than he already felt. He had almost been run over by a car; another homeless guy had beaten hi and stole some of his things, and to make things even worse, he had not eaten anything that day. Still, living in the streets, he knew where he could find some leftovers, and on that day, he needed something extra good. He went to the back of a club that had opened a few months prior, and like all the others, the owners preferred to throw away the leftovers, instead of giving them away. On that night, the party had been for a famous actor or actress, so there was bound to have something good in the cans._

_Opening the trach cans, he could smell something good in it. All he had to do was open the bags and see what was it. As he prepared to rip open the trash bags, he felt both happy, enraged and disgusted about himself. How did end up like that? He blamed society for everything, including his misfortune. But before he could do open the bags, the club’s backdoor opened and out came one of the waiters, carrying another bag of trash, who saw him._

_“Hey, what are you doing here?!” –the waiter yelled_

_“I…”_

_“Get out! We don’t want your kind around here! Scram or I’ll call security.” -he earned him._

_“B-But…” -Marcel stuttered._

_“Are you deaf or something?! Get out of here!!!” -the waiter dropped the bag and entered back into the building, probably going to get one of the security guards._

_Marcel, of course, did not wait for him to come back, so he dropped everything and ran. The last thing he needed on that day, was for someone to beat him a second time. While running, he tripped, and hurt his ankle. As he got up, the stinging pain told him that he had not broken it, but it would be a while, before he could walk again properly. He kept walking, or limping in his case, until he was far enough. Crouching near a tree, he kept puffing and wheezing from the pains._

_“Bastard! I’ll I wanted was some food…Because of him I’ll be limping for the next couple of days… but I’ll have my revenge. One of_ these days…” -he said, under his breath.      

(End of flashback)

But he did not. He had bigger fish to fry right then, and he did not want to disappoint his master.

Going up the stairs and mingling with the rest of the guests in the main hall, he saw something that caught his eye. Not too far from where he was, were three of the most important residents of Paris, talking between themselves; André Bourgeois, the Mayor of Paris, as well as the owner of Paris’ most fashionable and expensive hotel, the Grand Paris, Gabriel Agreste, the famous fashion design and owner of the Gabriel brand, and Jagged Stone, the world-renowned musician and rock-star, always accompanied by his faithful mascot, Fang the crocodile.   

“So, Jagged, I’ve heard from my daughter that you are working on a new album. Is that correct?” -Mayor bourgeois asked, trying to make polite conversation.

“I am, and quite honestly, I should be at home working on it, instead of being in this party…” -Jagged Stone confessed. –“It’s not my kind of party. Truth be told, I’m only here because my agent says it’s good publicity… as if I needed it, right, Fang?” -he asked his mascot, who answered back with a small affectious roar.

“Oh, the party isn’t that bad. Sure, I admit that if it was one of my parties, I would have done things a little differently, like hiring another catering company and probably used my hotel to host it, with a different theme of course- But, I can’t say it’s the worst party I’ve attended these last few years.” -Mayor Bourgeois said.   

“I usually don’t say this, but I’m inclined to agree with our rock musician here. Instead of being here, socializing, I should be at home, working.” -Gabriel Agreste said, though the truth was, he wanted to spend the night with his son, Adrien. Ever since the school year had started, he hardly had time to spend with him. His work prevented him from being a father who was always there for his son, and he knew it.

“Gabriel, please, all work and no play, makes a person dull. You and Jagged here should try and enjoy yourselves.” -Mayor Bourgeois told him, as he grabbed another glass of champagne. –“Life is too short for us to always be dwelling in our work, and I should know. I run this town.”

Mayor Bourgeois’ jokes were just like his politics, bland and plain. Some wondered how could have he been re-elected four consecutive times. But the truth was, when he wanted to, André Bourgeois could be one of the most manipulative and deceptive people that ever entered in the field of politics in Paris.

It was when he was about to tell another of his jokes, that he was interrupted by the party’s host, Joseph Gaston. Gaston was acclaimed by the critics, as well as the major gossipers in France, as the king of parties. Looking at him though, you would not think of him as the kind of person who would enjoy throwing parties. His stern look and the way he dressed himself, made Gabriel Agreste, who was known for being a man of few words, look like the life of the party, when compared to Gaston. Still, one should never judge a book on its cover, and Joseph Gaston was an incredibly funny guy. His parties had become legendary due to the people he invited to them, and this one was no exception to the rule, as he had invited the crème de la crème of Parisian high society to it.   

“Monsieur Mayor, Monsieur Agreste, Jagged, how are you? Are you enjoying yourselves?” -the man asked. But before any of them could answer, he went on –“Because if you aren’t, I do believe you are about to. I have something to show the three of you. Trust me when I say that you’ll remember this moment for the rest of your lives. Follow me, please.”

Following him, the three men and the pet crocodile went into a smaller room that was now filling in. Reptile also managed to get inside, as his instinct kept telling him that he was on to something. The people were gathering around the lit fireplace, where a shrouded canvas was about to be unveiled.

“May I present you, Thomas Astruc, one of the youngest prodigies to ever come out of Paris College Art. You may have heard about him or his art works.”

Thomas Astruc was in early twenties, but he looked like a 15-year old kid. In fact, he was even dressed like it. If they did not know, both Mayor Bourgeois and Gabriel Agreste would have confused him with one of their sons’ school mates.   

“Evening, gentlemen. It is an honour to meet you all” -the young man saluted them.

“Monsieur Astruc is here tonight, to unveil one of his newest art works to a few selected persons. And since I know that the three of you are also patrons of the arts in some ways, I felt that you would like to witness the unveiling as well.”

“Please, monsieur Astruc is my father. Just call me Tom. I don’t think I deserve to be addressed by last name yet. At least, not as an artist.”

“Oh, you are too innocent for your own good, my boy.” -Gaston said. –“But, doesn’t invalidate the fact, that you are one of the greatest artists that this city has seen since the Bohemian Revolution in the beginning of the 20th century. And tonight, we’re gathered here to present your newest work.” -Gaston stated.

“That is very kind of you, but I have to insist that as an artist, I may be gifted, but I’m still far from reaching my full potential.” -he humbly said. –“But, since you have been kind enough to set things for me to do this, then, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present my latest work… I call it, The Zodiac.”

Pulling the white sheet that covered the canvas, the young Astruc showed his newest work of art. Instantly, there was a round of applause from just about everyone in the room. The work of art was quite impressive. They had expected it to be a painting, but in fact, it was a collage. He had created the twelve constellations that represented the signs in the Western zodiac, surrounded by their representations. Still, what made it impressive was the way it had been done. If one would look closely, he would see that the tiny little pieces that had been worked in like mosaic tiles, were actually, miniaturized cell shades, taken from the air, and then worked in to create something far greater.   

“What did I tell you? The young man is a genius!” -Gaston kept praising him, as the art work was admired by everyone in the room.

Reptile had heard the magic words coming from the mouth of that man, and he saw that if he waited patiently, perhaps that situation would play in his favour, as well as in favour of his master. A young soul that was used to be praised for his talent, could easily be broken by the right words, and thus, fill his heart with all kinds of dark emotions and feelings. Unfortunately for him, it seemed like that would not happen there.

“Well, I’m not exactly an art expert, but I do know what I like, and I can see this hanging on someone’s living room.” -Jagged Stone said. –“Too bad it can’t be mine. I just redecorated it, and this would not go with it. Shame really, because I like it.”

“What about you, Gabriel? As a fashion designer, I’m sure you have something to say about it.” -Gaston insisted. It was obvious that he wanted to get people’s opinion on the young artist’s newest work.

“I’m afraid I’m not the right person to criticise this work when it comes to its technique. But, I do have to point out that our young artist has used his colours in a wise way. By using warm colours, instead of cold colours in this case, he managed to grasp the attention of those who look at it. If he had used cold colours, the result would have been far more different. From an aesthetic point of view, I do see why you did it.”

“Thank you, that was my intent, form the very beginning.” -Thomas admitted.       

“But, always remember this. Colour isn’t everything. Sometimes, neutral colours can be more expressive than any other colour. It’s the way one works them, that makes all the difference.” -Gabriel told him.

“Thank you, sir. Coming from you, those are both words of inspiration and motivation.” -Thomas said, to which Gabriel retributed with a little smile.

“What about you, Mayor? Do you like it?” -Gaston asked André.

“I think I’m going to say the same thing as my good friend Gabriel, and say that when it comes to art, I rather not say anything, when it comes to its technique. I mean, I do like what I see, especially when it comes to the way the colours have been used. This young man, certainly has an enormous talent.” -Mayor Bourgeois said.

“He does, believe me. I met Thomas here when I attended a party at his parents’ house a few years ago. Back then he was only in high school, but you could already tell that he had a knack for art.” -Gaston went on. –“I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years he has his own permanent exhibit in the Museum of Modern Art, or even at the Georges Pompidou.”

“Please, Monsieur Gaston, you’re embarrassing me…” -Thomas said in a jolly voice.

“But I’m only speaking the truth. Mark my words, my boy, you were made for great things, and I hope I’m there to see you achieving the recognition you so deserve.”

Seeing that all that they were giving that young artist were nothing but praises, Reptile saw that he would not be the target he was looking for. Still, he scouted the room, looking for someone that he could feel was either jealous or angered at the young man’s success. Unfortunately, no such luck. The tiny traces of those emotions he felt in a couple of persons were so little, you could probably call them inexistent. Sicken by the atmosphere that was feeling, Hawk Moth’s henchman decided to get out of there. Already on the street, covered by the shadows, he returned to his original appearance.

“Turns out, this was a waste of my time.” -he told himself. –“But the night’s not over yet.”

\-------------------

While Reptile tried to regain the time, he had wasted, Madame Romani herself wandered through the streets of Montmartre, convinced that there she would find someone her master could use for his plans. Those streets were not strange to her. Before opening her fortune-telling parlour, Madame Romani, or better yet, when she was still just plain Madame Selene, she would roam those streets, looking for easy picks, tourists that would fall for any mumbo-jumbo she would tell them. Still, even at night it was hard to look unnoticed in that part of town, mostly because of the amount of people that roamed the streets. Between locals and tourists, it was hard to find a street where you would be alone for more than 5 seconds. Luckily, her powers enabled her to make herself invisible to others.  

A rather mysterious sound caught her attention, as she went down a flight of stairs. The sound was familiar to her, though she could not remember from where exactly. And then, something else other than the sound, which sounded like a snake’s hiss, jogged Madame Romani’s memory, the smell of wet paint. And then it hit her… that was the sound of someone using a can of spray paint. She had lost the count of how many times, some street punks had graphited something on her store’s window and door. And every time she managed to catch them in the act, they just ran away, leaving her to clean up after them. And every time she did that, she cursed them for doing what they did.

Following that awful stench of wet spray paint, she quickly found out who was behind it. Kneeling in front of a wall, was a teenager painting some graffiti. She recognized his kind. Someone that was most likely a troublemaker, both in school and at home, who had more

“ _Master, I think I’ve found what you are looking for._ ” -Madame Romani communicated with Hawk Moth via telepathy.   

Hawk Moth, who was busy contemplating his beautiful, yet diabolical akuma butterflies inside their glass dome, while sipping a glass of Port, immediately heard her in his head. Using his powers, he pointed his cane at a nearby mirror, and what Madame Romani was seeing through her eyes appeared in it.     

“ _Yes, I see what you mean._ ” -Hawk Moth said. –“ _I can sense anger in his heart, as well as a touch of envy and rebellion._ ” -he declared, as he observed the aura created by those particular feelings, emanating from the boy in question. 

“ _What should I do? Shall I bring him to you, master?_ ” -Madame Romani asked.

“ _No… I think that in this case, I can make better use of his anger, if I let him do what he does best._ ” -Hawk Moth mused. –“ _Yes, that’s it. He will make us something that I will use to spread the terror in this city._ ” -he went on. –“ _Listen carefully. Use your powers to gain his trust, and then, let him paint for me a creature that will inspire fear, wherever it goes. Do you understand me?_ ”

“ _Yes, master, I understand._ ” -she asserted.

“ _Good. Carry on._ ” -the evil villain said, as he ended the telepathic conversation. Turning his attention back to his Akuma butterflies, he smiled evilly, as his hand touched the icy cold surface of the glass dome. -“Patience, my pretties, patience. Soon, you will fly freely and do what you do best. Just wait a little longer.”

\---------------------------

Doing what Hawk Moth had told her, Madame Romani quickly used her illusory powers to turn herself into a girl the same age as the little delinquent that was in front of her. Carefully choosing her clothes, she wanted to give him the impression that like him, she knew the streets. As a final touch, she conjured a bag filled with numerous cans of spray paints. With her transformation completed, she waited for the right time to show herself. A few minutes went by, when she finally came from behind the corner, surprising the young delinquent.

“Hey, hold on! I’m not a cop!” -Madame Romani said.

“What do you want?!”

“Like I said, I’m not a cop. I’m just looking for a place to do my scene, okay?” -she told him.

“Then, go do it somewhere else. This is my spot.” -he told her.

“Your spot? I don’t see your name on it.” -she said.

“Oh yeah? Then take a better look.” -he said, pointing to a freshly drawn signature on the wall. –“Like I said, this is my spot, so beat it.”

“What? Don’t tell me you’re afraid to share with a girl?” -she tried to flirt with him

“I don’t have to share anything.” -he practically barked at her.

“Is that so?” -she told him. –“Well, too bad really, because I had a really cool project, and I was even thinking to share these cans with you, that is, if you want to.” -she said, as she opened the backpack and revealed its contents.    

Seeing those brand-new cans of spray paint, the kid thought twice about it. He had just run out of paint and he still wanted to paint something else, but without any paints, he could do nothing. If the girl was willing to share, who was he to say no to an offer like that?

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch. I’ll do my thing, and you do yours. Unless, of course, you want to help me… it’s a massive project. Like nothing anyone has ever seen.”

“And what exactly is it?”

She quickly explained him that she wanted to paint something massive, and described to him a creature that she came up with on her head. Little by little, and using the right words, she convinced him to help her, not realizing that she was actually hypnotizing him to do the whole thing himself. Once more, she communicated telepathically with Hawk Moth, who told her how he wanted the creature to look like. Following his orders, she did her best to send in the image to the young man’s mind, so he could start drawing it.

Every scratch he did, she felt his anger with the world in general, as well as the people that he blamed for his crappy life. Smiling to herself, she knew she had to take advantage of that anger and hatred in him, so he would pass them on to the graffiti. At first, he did not utter a single word, ad he painted, but then, after about 10 minutes of silence, he finally engaged into conversation.

“I’ve never seen you around here before.”

“I’m new in town.” -she quickly shot back. –“What about you? You hand around here a lot?”

“Sometimes, when I’m not in school.”

“You don’t look like the kind of person who likes school.” -she told him, with a smirk on her face.

“You bet I don’t. I hate that place!” -he said, making Madame Romani smile. That was the kind of reaction she was looking for in him. The angrier or revolted he was about something he hated the better. –“They say that I’ll never be somebody if I keep spending my time goofing around and doing nothing but drawing, But you know what I think?”

“What?”

“I think that I don’t need some stinking school, or some stinking teachers telling me what to do!” -he said. There was a lot of anger in his voice, as he continued to paint. Finishing one can, he grabbed another and went on. –“I’m an artist! And way better than that sell out!”

“What sell out?”

“You know, Thomas Astruc!”

“What about him?”

“What about him? That guy’s a sell out! Just because he came up with some ideas that most people like, and has a rich mommy and daddy, everyone starts saying that he’s a genius and all, and one of the bestest artists that this city has ever seen. But you know what I think?”

“What?” -she kept enticing his anger and rebellion.  

“I think that you and me, we’re the real artists. Because we know what it’s like to feel unappreciated by those who think that the world is a perfect place.” -he said. –“That said, an artist needs to know what it is to struggle for something better, while taking on the world. But do you think that rich pretty boy knows what it is that?”

“When you say it that way, probably not.”

“Not probably, definitely! But you’ll see. One day, it will be us, the real artists to be recognized for what we’ve done, and that rich punk, no one will even remember him by… do we have anymore white paint? I want to give this thing some scary teeth.” -he told her, as he dropped the empty can.

Minutes went by, and soon they turned into hours. During that time, Madame Romani used her powers to cast some illusory barriers around the alley, to prevent preying eyes from interrupting the young conflicted artist from completing his work. On occasion, Romani grabbed a can, and using her illusory powers, pretended to also draw. Finally, after almost three hours, it was done.

That young rebel had created something absolutely terrifying, a creature that could be described as a crossover between a behemoth and chimera, with numerous heads, all of them either from mythological monsters or horror movies monsters. Its dark and red scally skin gave the feeling that he was bathed in someone’s blood.

“This looks awesome! We really did an amazing work here.”

“We sure did.” -she complemented him. –“And you know what? I think you deserve a special treat. -Madame Romani told him with a sultry voice.

“Really?”

“Yeah, you do. Do me a favour and close your eyes.” -she told him, as she placed her arms on his waist.

“Okay.” -he said, convinced that she was going to kiss him.

As soon as closed his eyes, Madame Romani went back to her original form, and readied herself to use her powers once more. She was going to erase the boy’s memory about what happened during those hours. Hawk Moth had not told her to do it, but she had always been told to never leave loose ends, and that kid was now a loose end. She told to open his eyes, and when he did, he almost had a heart attack, when seeing Romani’s real aspect. Still, she did not give him time to yell, looking him in the eyes.   

“You will forget that you were here. You will forget that you ever made this graffiti, and you will forget me. Do you understand?” -she told him with a serene, yet

“Yes, mistress.” -he said.

“Good. Now grab your things and get out of here.” -she commanded him.

Doing as he was told, the boy grabbed his things and quickly existed the alley, leaving Madame Romani alone. Looking at the drawing, she did not understand what Hawk Moth was going to do with it; but, it was not her right to question him. After all, whatever his plans were for that thing, she would soon find out, as he was planning something big to happen very soon. Smiling wickedly, she walked away, returning to the lair, knowing that her work was done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you all start asking, yes, I chose the name of the young artist like that on purpose. I thought it would be fun to also insert the creator of Ladybug in this... well, not him, just his name. But for all intents and purposes, in this story he's just a young artist, not afiliated with any of the characters, although believe me when I say that we will be seeing more of him in the sequels.


	16. My Life as a Superhero

It was Saturday, and usually that would mean that Marinette would stay in bed until 11 in the morning. But, two things kept her from doing that. The first was the fact that she and the rest of her class had marked another training session for that morning, before lunchtime. And the second, was her kwami, Tikki, who kept trying to wake her up.

“Come on, Marinette, you have to get up!” –Tikki kept waving at her in mid-air.

“Go away, mom, it’s Saturday…” -the blue-haired girl said, as she turned her head to the other side.     

“Marinette, it’s me, Tikki! You’ve got to wake up!” -the little scarlet kwami insisted on the matter.

“It’s Saturday, let me sleep…” -she said, as she pulled her covers up to her head. She was too tired to move, much less to get out of bed.

“But you’ve got training! Everyone will be expecting you.” -Tikki told her.

“They can train without me today…”

Desperate to get her out of bed, Tikki pulled out the big guns, and in this case, the big guns were Marinette’s biggest weakness, Adrien Agreste.

“You know, I was not going to tell you this, but there’s a certain boy downstairs, whom you have a crush on…” -Tikki said with a playful voice.

“Adrien!?! He’s here?!” -Marinette practically jumped out of bed like a grasshopper, when she realized that Tikki was smiling wickedly at her. –“He’s not here, is he?”

“No, he isn’t. But he will be at the Garden of the Ancients practicing with the rest of your friends.” -the kwami told her. –“Which is where you should be going too.”

Knowing that Tikki was right about it, Marinette practically dragged herself to the bathroom to change clothes and getting ready to go and meet the others. As she changed into her training uniform, Marinette complained about the amount of pain she was in. All her muscles were sore from the amount of practice she did ever since she and the others got their kwamis. Master Fu told her that they would get used to it, sooner or later, but she wished it was sooner, because she for one, did not want to fall asleep in a class.

“Ouch, I feel like I was run over by a bus.” -Marinette sighed, -“I’m so tired I just want to go back to bed. And to think that tonight I also have to babysit Manon.”

“Manon? Who’s Manon?” -Tikki asked her.

“Manon is the daughter of one of my mom’s best friends, Nadja Chamack. I usually babysit Manon when her mother has to work, and today is one of those days.” -Marinette answered. –“She’s not a bad kid, and I love to play with her… we usually play with some of the puppets I do in my spare time, but she can also be a little devil if we don’t do things like she wants to.”

“She sure sounds like a mouthful.” -Tikki said.

“And she is. I just pray that I still have enough energy to deal with her when she gets here.” -Marinette sighed, as she tried not to think about how sore she was feeling tight then. –“I thought that you guys being magical would also mean that after practice, we wouldn’t feel this sore.” -she said, as she put on her sneakers.

“Just because you think were magical, doesn’t mean we’re all powerful, Marinette.” -Tikki told her. –“You sound just like Joan of Arc. She also thought that after a battle, she wouldn’t feel sore, because of my magical powers.”

“Wait! You’re telling me that Joan of Arc was also a miraculous holder?!”

“You bet she was, and a very good one. She was one tough Ladybug.” -Tikki said. Ladybug was what the holders of her miraculous tended to call themselves. Although, Marinette had not yet decided if she was going to use that name. –“And I bet that you will also be an amazing Ladybug, Marinette.”   

“You really think so?”

“I do know so. You’re special.” -Tikki smiled at her.

“But do you really think that that name will suit me? I mean, Ladybug doesn’t sound like a superhero name.”

“Sure it does.”

“I bet the others are going to laugh at it… they probably picked some really cool superhero names for them, and I’ll be stuck with a cheesy one, no offense.”

“None taken. Well, it’s true the other kwamis haven’t exactly told their holders to pick codenames like I have over the centuries. But, believe me, Ladybug is a wonderful superhero name, and no matter what other superhero names your friends come up with for their own miraculous forms, yours is unique.” -Tikki told her, cheering her up.

“You really know how to cheer a girl up.” -Marinette smiled back at her. –“And for that, you get to pick which cookies you want for breakfast.”

“Thanks. Do you think your parents made those vanilla and cinnamon cookies today?”

“If I know them, they have done a whole batch of them.” -Marinette told her. –“But, you really think that I shouldn’t choose another name other than Ladybug? Like miraculous Ladybug or Amazing Ladybug, or even, Spectacular Ladybug?”

“Trust me, sometimes the simpler things are the best.” -Tikki winked at her.

“Ladybug… it might just work.”

Grabbing her backpack, her iPod and her water bottle, she let Tikki in her backpack, before heading downstairs. It did not take much for her to smell the delicious scent of freshly baked bread or the sweet smell of their parents’ sweets in the air. And, like always, her parents were busy behind the counter, when she walked in the bakery.

“Morning mom! Morning dad!” -she greeted them.

“Marinette?” -Sabine said, surprised to her daughter up that early on a Saturday. 

“Up so early? It isn’t like you, honey.” -Tom said, also surprised to see her.  

“Alya invited me to go with her on a jogging session, so I’m going to meet her. I’ll be back before lunch.” -Marinette said.

“Well, make sure you drink plenty of water, okay? Did you have your breakfast before going?”-Sabine asked her daughter.

“Taking care of it, right now.” -the blue-haired girl said as she grabbed a chocolate croissant and a few vanilla and cinnamon cookies, and placed them in a bag to go. –“See you later!”

“Goodbye!” -they both said, as Marinette exited the shop.

Walking down the road, eating her croissant, Marinette waited until reaching the end of the block, before slipping some of the cookie to Tikki, who ate them all in a jiffy.

“For someone so little, you have the appetite of a lion, Tikki.” -Marinette told her.

“Well, your parents’ cookies are too delicious for one to even let a single crumble, you know?” -Tikki told her. –“Do you have anymore?”

“Well, I have one more. We’ll split it, because I think you’re starting to eat too much. We don’t want you to be a fat kwami, now do we?” -Marinette joked, as she broke the cookie and gave half of it to Tikki.  

* * *

As Marinette and Tikki made their way to Master Fu’s place, at the Agreste Mansion, Adrien was also getting ready to go out. Although in his case, it was going to be harder for him to go out that morning. His father was at home that day, and he knew that he wanted to pass some time with him. Still, he had to go and meet the others, and could not tell the truth of what was really going on. While trying to come up with a decent excuse, he had to listen to Plagg’s ramblings about not having eaten a single piece of Camembert since the day before.

“Come on, Adrien, you’ve got to get me a piece of Camembert! I’m dying here!”

“In a minute, Plagg, I’m trying to find an excuse for us to go out.”

“Why don’t you just tell your dad that you’re going out for a walk with your friends? Trust me, that never fails.”

“You don’t know my dad like I do. He’ll never let me go out without my bodyguard present. I’m actually impressed on how I managed to give him the slip the whole week. But I know that sooner or later, he’s going to tell my dad about it, and then I’ll be in big trouble.”

“You’re kidding me, right? Your dad isn’t that strict.”

“Says you, because you don’t know him. After my mom died, he’s become obsessed with controlling everything around him, and that includes my safety.” -Adrien said.

“I see his type. I had a holder once that was all about control and making sure that whatever the outcome was, he would always come out on top.”

“Let me guess, you didn’t like him at first.”

“You bet I didn’t. It took me a while, before I made him see that he could not control the outcome of certain things. After that, we bonded quite nicely, me and him.” -Plagg said.

“Yeah, well, too bad my dad isn’t that easy to convince.”

“Well, why don’t you tell him that you need to go somewhere and it’s important, because you need it for a school report or something?” -Plagg suggested.

Hearing that, Adrien felt that Plagg’s idea was not half bad. But, if he was going to go through with it, he was going to need a little help. Calling Nino, Adrien told him the plan, and he immediately agreed with him, by telling him that he would be at his door in 20 minutes. Smiling, Adrien had a good feeling that everything was going to work. Grabbing his backpack, he put everything he needed to pretend he was going to a museum in it. Telling Plagg to stay put, he promised he would bring him a piece of Camembert, before heading down for breakfast. When he arrived at the dining room, everything was already set for breakfast, and his father was casually reading the newspaper. 

“Good morning, dad.” -Adrien said, as he

“Good morning, Adrien.” -Gabriel said, as he placed the newspaper on the table. –“May I ask you where you’re going?”

“Going?” -he asked puzzled.

“I ask this because you have your backpack with you.” -Gabriel pointed it out. 

Adrien did not even notice he had put it on, before leaving the room.

“Oh, this… I need to go out for a couple of hours to check on a museum exhibit. It’s for a school paper I need to do until Monday.” -Adrien answered, as he sat for breakfast. –“But don’t worry, I’ll be back before lunch.”

“You should have told me about that yesterday.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I completely forgot about it.” -Adrien said.

“Well, try not to forget next time. I might as well call your bodyguard and tell him to drive you to the museum.” -he said, as he grabbed his cell phone.

“That won’t be necessary.” -Adrien said. –“Nino is going with me. In fact, he must be arriving any minute now.”

“Nino… you mean that friend of yours who, if I do recall, called me a heartless father for not letting you go to a party, back in June?” -Gabriel asked him.

“Dad, he didn’t mean to talk to you like that. Besides, he did apologize to you and admitted that he was wrong about it.” -Adrien defended Nino.

“True…” -Gabriel admitted that the boy had done it. –“But that doesn’t mean I don’t think that he could be a bad influence for you.”

Once more Gabriel Agreste went back to one of his usual conversation topics, Adrien’s friends. He always had something negative to point out about them. Even when Adrien was in his previous school, he did the same thing. Still, with time Adrien had learned to refute his father’s accusations, and this time he was not going to let him win that discussion, because he knew just what to tell him.

“I know you do, dad. But… and don’t get mad about this, couldn’t you trust me? I mean, since you don’t seem to trust my friends, could you at least trust me, your own son, and my good judgement to pick my friends? Believe me, if any of them were a bad influence on me, I would know. And I’m not just saying that because I can. I’m saying it because you and mom raised me to always trust my judgement, and that’s what I do when I choose my friends.”

The way Adrien looked at him, made Gabriel remember about his late wife. She also looked at him like that, whenever she did not agree with something. And usually, she would win, because even though he liked to win arguments, he liked even more to see her smile. Sighing, he said:

“I guess, you’re right. Fine, I’ll try to restrain myself from speaking about your friends, as well, as trusting your good judgement.” -Gabriel admitted. When hearing that, Adrien wondered if his father was feeling alright. –“But, your bodyguard is still going to accompany you.”

“But, dad…”

“But nothing. He’s going to take you and your friend to the museum, and then he’s bringing you home for lunch.” -Gabriel told him.

“ _Now there’s the Gabriel Agreste we all know._ ” -he told himself. –“Fine.” –Adrien sighed, accepting his father’s decision.  

“Good. Now, you better eat your breakfast. You don’t want to keep your friend Nino waiting, do you?”

* * *

After finishing his breakfast, Adrien went up to his room to brush his teeth, as well as send a text to Nino, telling him that they had a small problem, a Gorilla problem. As soon as he entered the room, Plagg showed up, asking him about his piece of Camembert. Adrien took it out of his pocket and throw it into the air, where the black kwami grabbed it.

“Can’t believe you love to eat such a smelly thing.”

“Tough luck if you don’t know what’s good for you.” -Plagg said as he ate the smelly cheese in one gulp. –“Delicious, I was really needing that. So, did your father fell for it?”

“Sort of…” -Adrien said, as he brushed his teeth. –“.. I still have… to take the Gorilla with me.”

“You’ve got to get rid of that guy.” -Plagg said, when he noticed Adrien’s cell phone ringing. –“I’ll get it, you finish brushing your teeth.” -he said, as he flew to where the device was. Seeing it was a call from Nino, he touched the screen and picked it up. –“Hello?”

“Hello? Who’s this?” -Nino asked.

“It’s Plagg. Adrien’s brushing his teeth.”

“Well, tell him that I’m at the door, and that Wayzz and I brought the cavalry to deal with his bodyguard.” -Nino said, ending the call.

Plagg quickly told Adrien what Nino said on the phone. Wondering what he meant by that, he quickly finished brushing his teeth, told Plagg to get in the backpack, grabbed it and went downstairs, where his bodyguard was being instructed by his dad’s secretary, Nathalie.

“Adrien, you did not tell your father what was the museum you and your friend are visiting. Which one is it?”

“Uh… it’s the City of Science and Industry.” -Adrien said the first science museum he could think of.

“Very well.” -she said, when the doorbell rang. –“Oh, it must be your friend.”

“We’ll wait outside, while you get the car.” -Adrien said, when he saw his father waving at him. –“See you at lunch dad.”

Already outside, was Nino waiting for him. Hidden behind one of Nino’s headphones was his kwami, Wayzz.

“So, you ready for this?”

“More or less. How do you plan on getting rid of Gorilla over there?” -he pointed out to his bodyguard, who was on his way to get the car.

“Don’t worry, like I told Plagg, we brought the cavalry. Just trust us, bro.” -Nino winked at him.

“Indeed. Nino came up with the perfect plan.” -Wayzz said.

* * *

Already in the car, Nino signalled Adrien to relax and wait. They had just turn the corner, when on the right side of the road was Master Fu. Nino quickly told Adrien to tell his bodyguard to stop, so they could say hi to their “teacher”. Adrien did so, and the Gorilla quickly complied, stopping the car. Opening the car window, Adrien said:

“Hey Mas.. I mean, Professor Fu.”

“Good morning, Adrien and Nino. So, what are you two doing?”

“We’re going to a museum.” -Adrien went on with the façade.

“Oh, really? Well, then, I hope you two enjoy… oh, hold on. I think you might want to tell your driver that he should check his right tire.” -Master Fu said.

“Really? Hold on, I’ll tell him to check it.” -Adrien said.

“Yeah, the last thing your dad wants is his son inside a car with a busted tire.” -Nino said.

Adrien told the Gorila to check the tire. Turning off the engine, he got out and went to see if it was really busted. While checking it, Master Fu kneeled next to him, to give him a hand, when Wayzz whispered something to Adrien’s ear.

“Watch Master Fu in action.” -he said.

“Oh, this is going to be fun!” -Plagg said, as he got out of Adrien’s backpack.

About 30 seconds went by, and then, the Gorilla got up and went back inside the car, while Master Fu signalled them to get out of ii. Driving away, Adrien stood there, seeing his bodyguard driving away. Puzzled about what had happened, he asked:

“What happened? What did you tell him?”

“Nothing. I merely planted a subconscious suggestion in his mind.”

“In other words, old Master Fu here hypnotized the Gorilla, bro.” -Nino said.

“You did?! But what happened to the whole plain old talk, and of course, knowing which words to use, and, argumentation is an art, and those who can use it, can accomplish just about anything?” -Adrien asked, quoting him. 

“Sometimes, in order to accomplish certain things, you must be ready to use all kinds of resources.” -Master Fu said. –“Plus, I didn’t think that I would be able to persuade him to just let you two go, without going against your father’s orders.”

“So, where did you send that guy?” -Plagg asked.

“He’s on his way to the museum, and he’ll stay there while you are all in practice. When practice is over, he’ll come back.” -he said. –“Of course, in his mind, he will think that he never left Adrien and Nino for a second.”

“Master Fu is not only wise, but he is also incredibly talented.” -Wayzz said.

“Please, Wayzz, it was nothing.” -Master Fu said.

“Kim was right about you. You are like a Jedi master.” -Nino joked.

“Well, I do know a few neat tricks, but that’s all. Now, come along, you don’t want to be late for practice.”

* * *

Later in the Garden of the Ancients, the whole gang began their heating exercices, before transforming. Master Fu set the Ampulla Hourglass so the hour and half they had left in the real world would turn into 5 hours there. And they were going to be 5 painful hours for them all. Still, before starting they all decided to share what their superhero names would be.

“Mine’s going to be Ladybug.” -Marinette said. –“Tikki says that all of the holders of her miraculous have called themselves Ladybugs, so I’m keeping the tradition.” -she smiled. –“What about you guys? What are yours?”

“Make way for the amazing Jade Turtle!” -Nino exclaimed, laughing. –“I figured that just the Turtle was probably going to get me confused with a Ninja Turtle, and since my miraculous bracelet seems to be made out of jade, so it should stick.  

“Well, I’m going with Chat Noir. It has a nice ring to it.” -Adrien confessed.

“And you Alya? Don’t tell me you’re going to be Foxy Fox?” -Marinette joked with her best friend.

“Heck, no, I got better taste than that, girl. My superhero name is going to be Volpina.”

“Isn’t that Italian for Fox?” -Adrien asked her.

“Yes, it is.” -Alya answered. –“I chose it, when I was researching foxes on the Internet, along with Trixx. She almost flipped when I told her that was the name I was choosing.”

“And I should say that I flipped with flying colours. That name suits you like a silk glove, girl!” -Trixx told her, as she hovered in front of her.

“Mine’s going to be Antelope.” -Kim said, as he stretched his arms.  

“What?! No adjectives like Speedy Antelope, or Lightning Antelope?” -Alix teased him.

“Nah, just Antelope. Keep it simple, you know? What about you?” -he asked her.

“I was going with Speedy Dragonfly, but I felt that it was redundant, so I’m also sticking with plain Dragonfly.” -Alix admitted.

“And you say things about my name?” -Kim playfully shot at Alix.

“What about yours, Nathaniel? What’s yours going to be?”

“Mulan and I talked about this yesterday, and both he and I, we decided that my name is going to be Panda Rouge.” -Nathaniel said, a little embarrassed.

“I like it.” -Rose said. –“It’s pretty.”

“What about you, Rose? What’s your name going to be?” -Nino asked her.

“Mine’s really simple… Flamingo.” -she answered him.

“Just Flamingo?” -Alya asked.

“Yes.” -she smiled. -“I know I could have picked a more cheerful name, but I think Flamingo is already cheerful enough.”

“Well, I like it very much.” -Juleka said. –“ _Just as much as I like you._ ” -she thought to herself.

“And you, Juleka? What’s yours going to be?” -Nathaniel asked her.

“Oh, mine, well, I’m starting to think that I’ll have to change it, because it might get confused with the one Adrien chose for him.” -the Goth girl declared.

“Why? What’s the name you chose?”

“Corbeau Noire… you know, Dark Raven in French.” -she admitted.

Hearing it, Adrien and the others all understood why she was thinking about changing. Still, Adrien felt that there would be no need for that, given that he was a boy, and she was a girl, the chances of anyone confusing them with one another was very low.

“Well, I think you should keep it.” -Adrien told her. –“I don’t think people will confuse you with me. Besides, I like it.”  

“Well, if you say so, then I guess I’ll keep it.”

“See? I told you they would like it.” -Tamara told Juleka, who smiled at her little kwami.

“Hey, Max! You’ve been awfully quiet. You’re not going to tell us yours?” -Kim asked his best friend. –“It’s not going to be Spider-Man, is it?”

“No, it won’t. If it was, I would probably have to pay royalties so I could use it.” -Max joked. –“I thought about it, and the only good spider name that hasn’t been used by a comic book character was… the Arachnid!”

“The Arachnid, huh? I like it.” -Kim said. –“You’re starting to accept this a lot better than I expected, buddy. I mean, for a guy that said that none of this seems logical or rational.”

“He’s right. You’re taking this really well.” -Alix agreed.

“I do have to admit that it wasn’t easy at first, and I’m not 100% alright with everything just yet, but, I’ve learned to keep an open mind for whatever comes.” -Max admitted.

“Well, it’s a step in the right direction, I suppose.” -Kim admitted.

“What about you Mylene? What’s yours going to be?” -Marinette asked her.

“Well, I… the thing is, Ivan and I, we both chose each other’s name.” -Mylene said shyly.

“Then, what are they?” -Nino asked her, curious to know.

“Mine’s Grizzly Bear, and Mylene’s is Forest Doe.” -Ivan said.

“They sound cool.” -Rose said.

“They suit you both.” -Nathaniel declared.      

“Well, what about me and Sabrina? Aren’t you going to ask us what are superhero names are?!” -Chloé asked them all with an annoyed voice. She and Sabrina had been mostly silent ever since they got there, and now she had broken that silence. –“Well? I’m waiting!”

Sighing, Marinette went ahead and satisfied the blonde’s need for attention, by asking:

“Fine, Chloé, what names did you and Sabrina chose?”

“About time someone asked. I’ll be Queen Bee.” -she declared with her usual snobbish attitude. –“And Sabrina’s going to be Louve Grise.”

“They look… nice.” -Rose said.

“Is that all you have to say?!” -she practically yelled at Rose.

“Chloé…” -Sabrina said.

“No, Sabrina, I’m going to say this out loud. You guys practically weave all kinds of compliments to everyone, but when I tell you ours, you just say they sound nice?!”

“Well, then what do you want us to say, Chloé?!” –Kim asked her.

“I want you to treat me and Sabrina the same way you treat each other! Is that much too ask?!”

“Well, it is, given that you act like a spoiled brat, who throws a tantrum, whenever you don’t get what you want!” -Marinette shot at her. –“If you were a little nicer to us, we would also be nicer towards you.”

“She does have a point, Chloé…” -Sabrina whispered at her.

“You should be nicer towards others.” -Pollen told her.

“What? Even my best friend and my own kwami are against me?!” -Chloé exclaimed.

“Would you please stop acting like that, Chloé?!” -Alya told her. –“If you’re trying to make us feel sorry for you, you’re doing a really lousy job!”

“Don’t you see that we all treat you like this, because you tend to treat us the same way? Like if were inferior to you?!” -Marinette asked her, when Tikki closed in and whispered to her ear.

“Marinette, don’t say those things to her… I know she’s not exactly very nice, but two wrongs don’t make a right.”

Hearing her kwami say that, made Marinette reconsider her next words. By attacking her that way, she was being just as bad as Chloé. She told herself she could stoop to her level, if she wanted to make her understand that what she was doing was wrong. Unfortunately,

“Well, if you’d be nicer to me, I’d probably be nicer to you too!” -Chloé shot at her.

“This is all about you, isn’t it?! It’s always about you, you, you and you! Well, guess what, Chloé…” -Marinette said.

“Enough!!!!!”

The loud yell was given by none other than Master Fu. It was the first time any of the kids heard him raise his voice. As for the kwamis, they had heard him yell like that before, but that was more than two centuries before.

“Now, can you explain to me what is going on here?”

“Marinette started it!” -Chloé exclaimed.

“No, Chloé started it!” -Marinette exclaimed.

“Please! Enough! I don’t care why you’re fighting. All I care is that you settle it like young women.” -Master Fu told them. –“Don’t you see that when you fight, instead of trying to understand the reason why one of you is in disagreement with the other, you’re just pouring more gasoline into the fire of disagreement?” -he went on. –“That is not productive nor good for either one of you. Now, it’s time for you both to bury the hatchet and apologize to one another. And let me add, that you’re not going anywhere, until you do it.”

A brief silence followed, with everyone’s eyes staring both at Chloé and Marinette. Neither one nor the other wanted to accept defeat, but they both knew Master Fu would not let that pass. Sighing, Chloé said.

“I’ll apologize, if Marinette apologizes to me, first.” -Chloé said.

“Chloé…” -Zoey said.

“It’s okay, I’ll go first.” -Marinette told Chloé’s kwami. The blue-haired girl had to swallow her own pride just to say the next words to the blonde. –“I’m sorry, Chloé.”

“Sorry, for what?” -Chloé asked her.

“I’m sorry for not treating you the same way I treat everyone else. And I’m sure the others are also sorry.” -Marinette said. Each syllable took all her strength not to start bickering with her, again.

“Well, since you’re sorry, I guess I can also say that I’m sorry I yelled at you.” -Chloé told her, this time with a sincere tone. That should have made Marinette feel like all of that were water under the bridge, but deep inside her, she knew that Chloé was not sorry for any of the things she said. Still, she tried to be the mature one, by not giving into her deepest wishes, which right then passed by strangling Chloé.    

“Good. Now, you all have work to do. If you need me, I’ll be inside meditating.” -Master Fu said, as he headed back inside the temple. –“Both Marinette and Chloé have matching tempers. If they could only use that to their advantage, instead of spending their time bickering, who knows what they could achieve in terms of teamwork… but, we must have hope that eventually they will end up seeing the benefits of getting along.” -he mused to himself.

With that taken care of, they all decided to just train to forget that happened. But before that, most of the kids confided to both Chloé and Sabrina that the names they had chosen for their superhero personas were also amazing.

Decided to make the most of their time there, before transforming, they all agreed that whenever transformed, they would only address each other by their superhero names, so as to not give away their real identity by mistake.  

Unfortunately, just like what had happened between Marinette and Chloé, the training that morning went everything but well, with numerous egos clashing, and they not knowing what to do when that happened. It was clear to them that they all needed someone to guide them, as well as making the decisions. The problem was, there was more than one person wanting to be the leader of that group, and none of them seemed the right one for the job.    

“You keep doing it wrong!” -Antelope said.

“You told me to do it like that, so don’t say that I’m doing it wrong!” -Dragonfly told him.

“I told you that I should be the one to give the orders!” -Queen Bee exclaimed.

“Why? Because you can fly? You’re not the only one who can fly around here, remember?” -Corbeau Noire told her.

“ _This is a disaster…_ ” -Chat Noir told himself.

“ _At this rate, we’ll never be a real team._ ” -Ladybug thought to herself.


	17. Code Red

Training on that morning was a disaster, and as she walked back home, that was the only thing Chloé Bourgeois could talk about with her friend Sabrina.

“I can’t believe just how awful that went.” -Sabrina said. She was feeling more sad than mad, because she wanted things between her and her friends to go right.

“Awful? That was a bloody disaster, Sabrina! I’ve attended parties that were less of a disaster than this training session.” -Chloé told her. –“And it’s all because those idiots don’t realize that my ideas are good, and that I would be an incredible leader! I mean, they did not even try some of them, and they were really good!”

“But, Chloé, they probably didn’t do it, because you were mean to them.” -Pollen told her. Zoey was hidden inside Chloé’s purse. 

“Yeah, she’s right. You got to treat the others with a little more respect, and you got to listen to what the others say. How do you expect the others will treat you, if you treat them the way you do?” -Mika, who was inside Sabrina’s pouch, agreed with the yellow kwami.

“I think Mika’s right, Chloé. You did say that you were going to try and turn a new leaf, by being nicer to others.” -Sabrina reminded her of what she had said, just before school started.

“And I’m trying, Sabrina. But the others aren’t making things easy. Somehow, they manage to know just how to annoy me, and then, I start saying things I don’t want to, but end up saying them anyways.” -Chloé said.

“Then, you’ve got to try harder.” -Sabrina said. –“I know the others aren’t making things any easier for you, but, maybe you’ve got to try harder, so they understand that you’re really trying, and they shouldn’t treat you like they do now.”

* * *

Already on the hotel, Chloé went up to her room. The first thing she did was to drop everything on the floor and take a bubble bath. After all that training, she deserved it. While in the bath, the blonde thought about what Sabrina told her; about her having to try harder to show the others that she was trying to change.

“ _It’s easier said than done._ ” -she thought to herself. –“ _I mean, what do they want? For me to beg forgiveness for all the times that I acted mean towards them all?! No! I’ve got my pride, and to ask forgiveness would mean to say that I’ve always been a bitch to all of them!_ ” -she mused. –“ _But what if I’ve really been a bitch to every last one of them? Maybe that stupid Marinette is right. Maybe I’m always thinking that the world revolves around me…_ ”

Those thoughts were making her gloomier and gloomier by the minute. Time went by, and two things happened. Those thoughts did not disappear from her mind, and the water of her bath got cold. Still, she did not notice it; Chloé was so focused in her thoughts, that if it was not for Zoey, she would probably stay in that freezing water, until she caught a cold or a pneumonia.

“Chloé! Chloé, are you alright?” -Pollen asked her.

“W-What? Sorry, I spaced out…” -Chloé said, as she trembled with cold. –“Brrr… I didn’t even realize the water became cold.”

“Get out of there, before you catch one. The last thing we need is superheroine with a fever.” -Pollen told her, as she got out of the bathtub and grabbed her towel.

After drying herself, Chloé put on some fresh clothes and threw herself into the bed. Turning on the TV, she let it on, to have some background noise filling the room.  Laying on the bed, she stood there, staring at the ceiling, not uttering a single word. Pollen, knowing that something was wrong with her, decided to break the silence and ask her what was she thinking about.

“Chloé, is everything alright?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” -Chloé said.

“Are you really going to try and fool me? May I remind you that I’m 5000 years old, and I can’t be deceived or tricked?” -Pollen told her, as she landed beside her head. –“Now, tell me, what’s going on?”

“I keep going back to that conversation I had with Sabrina on the way here, that’s what’s going on.”

“You mean that conversation about how the others are treating you badly, because you’re always treating them like that?” -Pollen asked her.

“That one… I’m starting to think that she was right, and I’m the only one to blame for all of it.” -Chloé said, as a tear rolled down her face. –“Maybe I really deserve to be treated this way. After all, I’ve never cared about anyone’s feelings while I badmouthed them.” -she said, believing more and more that she deserved what happened to her that morning.

“Don’t say that.” -Pollen told her, as patted her on the cheek. –“It’s true that you didn’t act right by talking that way with your friends, but, they shouldn’t have done the same. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

“Sabrina said that in order to show them that I want to change and not be the same girl I’ve been until now, I have to try harder. But how do I that? How to I prove to them that I’m really trying to change, Pollen?” -Chloé asked her. The kwami could sense the sadness in her voice.

“By asking for forgiveness.” -Pollen told her. –“The next time you see your friends, tell them that you’re sorry for all the bad things you told them, for the way you treated them all these years, and that you wish you could turn back time and correct those mistakes, but that you can’t. Tell them, that you

“But what if they don’t believe me, Pollen? I’ve been a total bitch to them. They all have the right to treat me the same way I treated them…” -she began to cry.

“If you speak from your heart, I’m sure they will believe you.” -Pollen smiled, as she used her tiny hand to wipe one of the tears from Chloé’s face.

“You really think so?” -the blonde asked her, as the tears kept rolling down her face.

“I do know so… you remember what Master Fu said about the Miraculouses and the Book of Prophecies? He said that only the ones with pure hearts are chosen to hold them. That means that both you and your friends are good persons, and that deep down, they may be angry with you, but that doesn’t mean they won’t forgive you, if you apologize to them, from the bottom of your heart.” -Pollen told her. –“I know that right now you’re really scared, but if there’s one thing that is true, is that there’s no more courageous act than asking for forgiveness, when you were wrong; and I know that deep in your heart, you have the courage to do that, Chloé.”  

Hearing those words, Chloé began to cry once more, but this time, her tears were tears of happiness, and not of sadness. Holding Pollen close to her face, she planted a big kiss on the tiny creature, making her giggle.    

“Thank you, Pollen. I can’t believe I was afraid of you, when I met you…” -Chloé said, sniffling. –“.. you wonderful crazy and fantastically wise bee kwami.” -she smiled.

“Okay, okay, I get that you’re happy, but please, don’t cover me in salty tears, okay?” -Pollen joked. –“I’m glad I could help.”

Feeling like a weight had been lifted from her chest, she decided that the next time she saw her friends, which would be on Monday, she would apologize to all of them. Like Sabrina said, she needed to try harder, and she was going to do that. To celebrate that decision, she called room service and ordered something very special for her and her kwami.  

“Hope you’re hungry, because I ordered a whole dessert cart for the two of us for lunch.” -she told Pollen.

“As long as there’s honey in those desserts, I’ll be in heaven.” -Pollen said, making Chloé giggle. –“Hey, what’s that on the TV?”

“ _This is… I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life._ ” -said the reporter.

* * *

 

After the way training went, Juleka just wanted to forget about it. So, she ended up asking Rose to have lunch with her. They both called their parents, telling them they were going to have lunch with one another, before heading to a restaurant that Juleka had found earlier that year, the Dark Lilith. She had found it one afternoon, when she was heading home from school. The place was really well hidden, and if it not been for her ritual of checking out stores that sold Goth accessories, she would have never find it.

The restaurant was decorated like the interior of a Gothic dungeon. In there, the red, black and silver were masters, with the walls, ceiling and furniture bearing at least one of those colours. The waitresses were all dressed in the same way, their style being a mix between Cyber Goth and Medieval Goth. It was an unusual restaurant, but it also felt incredibly cosy and appealing, not only because of the interior, but because of the wonderful smell of food that hovered in the air. The odds of existing another restaurant like that one in all of Paris were slim, and that made it even more appealing to those who entered it either to eat, or just to have a drink.    

“Thanks for inviting me to have lunch with you, Juleka.” -Rose smiled at her.

“My pleasure, Rose.” -Juleka smiled back at her. –“After these last hours, I needed to have a conversation with someone that wasn’t arguing about what was right and what was wrong with what we were doing.”

“Hey, then what are we? Chopped liver?!” -Flint said. He was hiding inside Rose’s purse, while Tamara was hiding inside Juleka’s coin holder.

“Flint, shut up. They might hear you.” -Tamara whispered to him.

“She’s right. You have a pretty big mouth for such a small creature, you know that?” -Rose told him. –“Try to stay silent, or at least lower your voice, please” -the blonde begged him.     

“Fine, I’ll lower my voice.” -Flint said, a little annoyed with it. One of the things the flamingo kwami had always hated was having to stay hidden from everyone that did not know about his existence.

“If you behave, I’ll order something good for you.” -Rose told him.

“Deal!” -he said.

“That kwami of yours talks too much.” -Juleka said.

“Well, yours hardly speaks.” -Rose giggled.

“Tamara only talks when she needs to.” -Juleka also giggled.

“Like you.” -Rose pointed out.

“You, on the other hand, talk nineteen to dozen.” -Juleka joked.

“Only when I’m with the right company. Usually, I’m also very shy.” -Rose admitted.

The girls ordered a bacon and ham pizza with extra mushrooms. When the pizza arrived, they were both surprised to see that this one was shaped like a broken heart.

“It’s part of our today’s Dark Love special.” -the waitress told them.

Both Rose and Juleka did not say anything, but they each thought to herself if that was a sign from a greater being, telling each of them to tell the truth about the way they felt. Still, they both decided to ignore it as just something crazy that happened. As they ate, they both talked about everything, from school to the place’s décor. They had been friends for so long, that even if they ran out of conversations subjects, they would always find a new one. They knew each other so well, that sometimes they even finished each other’s sentences.

“You know, you’re probably the one person that drags me to this kind of places.” -Rose said.

“Well, you’re the only one that drags me to those stores filled with pink clothes, so that makes us even.” -Juleka admitted.

“Oh, come on, admit it, you like it when I invite you to go shopping with me.”

“Well… I might, if you admit that you also like when I bring you to these gloomy and dark spots.” -Juleka teased her.

The conversation went on, as the girls had dessert. They ordered an ice cream, which they shared, and a small bowl of cherries for Flint. They were no in the middle of September, but the days were still quite hot, so an ice cream was just what the doctor ordered to fight the heat. Eventually, the girls talked about one thing that was bothering them both… Hawk Moth.

“We keep hearing about him, but we still haven’t seen a trace of him.” -Rose said.

“I know, right?” -Juleka said. –“The only thing we’ve seen of him was a picture in the book of Prophecies.”

“I for one, hope we don’t come across him anytime soon. We’re still too green as a team, Juleka.” -Rose told her. –“I’m scared that we might not be ready for when he decides to show himself up.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” -Juleka said. –“ _I’ll protect you with my own life if I have to_.” -she told herself.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you either.” -Rose told her. –“I’ll make sure of that.” -she thought to herself.

“Oh, you girls sound so sweet when you talk like that.” -Flint told them, as he ate another cherry. –“You don’t have to worry about it. You girls work together really well.”

“Indeed. Remember, even though we’re not present when you transform, we can still see and feel what’s going on around you, and you work really well together.” -Tamara agreed with Flint.

“If I had to say something, and I’m definitely going to, you girls know each other so well, that you can anticipate each other’s moves, and that’s great when you work together.” -Flint said.

“Thanks, guys.” -Rose said.  

Suddenly, one of the restaurant’s clients, who was at the counter drinking a beer, while watching television asked the bartender to turn on the volume. Something was going on it, and the way he asked the man, it was something really important.  

“ _This is… I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life._ ” -said the reporter.

* * *

 

Marinette was absolutely bushed when she got home. She practically crawled up to her bedroom. The training, along with all the arguing that took place in it, had been enough to make her wish she could crawl into her bed and sleep for the rest of the day. Seeing her like that, her mother decided to check on her. When she entered the room, Marinette was just finishing changing her clothes.

“Marinette, are you alright?” -Sabine said.

“I’m fine, mom. I just… the training was too hard on me.” -Marinette told her.

“Training? But I thought you had gone jogging?” -Sabine asked her.

“And I did.” -Marinette said, quickly realizing that she almost spilled the beans about what she had really been doing. –“But, Alya thought that it would also be good for us to train a little bit. She brought with her a pair of jump ropes, as well as some resistance bands, and one thing led to another, and here you have me. Absolutely bushed.” -she lied.

“Oh, honey, you can’t push yourself like that. If Alya wants to do this again next weekend, you need to have a proper breakfast.” -Sabine told her, as she smiled warmly to her. –“Now, do you want me to bring you lunch up here?”

“No, mom, that won’t be needed. I’ll go downstairs to have lunch, and then I’m coming back up here to have a nap, before Manon gets here.” -Marinette told her. –“She’s still coming, right?”

“She is. But don’t worry, she won’t be here before 6. You can sleep all afternoon if you want to.” -Sabine said, as she went down the stairs. –“Now, hurry up, lunch will be ready in 10 minutes.”

“Okay, mom. Let me just finish changing.” -Marinette said.

Once Sabine closed the door, Tikki got out of her hiding place. She had been hiding beneath one of the pillows Marinette had on top of her chaise longue, so her mom would not see her. Hovering in front of the blue-haired girl’s face, she said:

“Your mom really cares about you.”

“That’s her job.” -Marinette giggled. –“Although, sometimes she can be a little too nagging.”

“She just worries about you.” -Tikki told her.

“I know, but… I’m not a little girl anymore. I can handle myself.” -Marinette sighed.

“It’s a mother’s job to always worry, Marinette.” -Tikki smiled.

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” -Marinette chuckled. –“I’m going down to help mom set the table for lunch. Do you want me to bring you something?”

“Well, if you could get me a cookie or two, I wouldn’t say no to it.” -Tikki told her. –“That is, if you can find the strength to climb those stairs back here.” -she joked.

“Just for that, I’m really bringing you something.” -Marinette said, viewing that last commentary as a challenge.

After a delicious lunch, Marinette grabbed a couple of cookies for dessert, and told her mom to wake her up, when Manon arrived. As soon as she entered her room, Tikki showed up, asking her about the cookies. Smiling at her, Marinette gave her the cookies, and then crawled to bed. Feeling the softness of her bed covers against her skin, Marinette thanked God for the little things that made her feel better, after having one of those mornings that you just want to forget that ever happened. Training had been awful, and Chloé had managed to put her on a bad mood. After arguinig with her, she felt so mad, she could chew nails.

“ _That Chloé… I don’t know how she manages it, but she has a way to get my dander up._ ” -she thought to herself. –“ _I mean, how can she even be a miraculous holder?! She’s selfish, she’s obnoxious, she’s self-centred, she doesn’t care about anyone else but herself, and I’m repeating the same thing, but using different adjectives…_ ” -she kept musing to herself. –“ _I mean, she doesn’t have any of the qualities that according to Master Fu, a miraculous holder needs to have!_ ”

Marinette tried not to think about how Chloé managed to piss her off, but the harder she tried not to think about it, she more she thought about it. The two had never been friends, though Marinette tried to be friendly towards her, when they first met. At first, she thought that Chloé was just misunderstood and did not know how to make friends; but soon, she found out that she was just plain old mean.

“ _Maybe the Book of Prophecies was wrong, and Chloé’s name should not even be in there._ ” -she kept thinking to herself. –“ _That must be it! Chloé’s name on it must have been a typo, because nobody in their right judgement would give a miraculous to a spoiled brat like her!_ ”

“Marinette? Marinette? Marinette?!” -Tikki called her, but got no response. –“SNAP OUT OF IT!”

“W-What?! What is it?!” -Marinette asked, a little startled by Tikki’s yell.  

“I was calling you.” -Tikki told her. –“What’s going on? You were mumbling.”

“I was?” -she asked.

“You were.” -Tikki asserted.

“I’m sorry… it’s just that… I was thinking about what happened today during training.”

“Don’t you mean, you were thinking about how Chloé managed to make you absolutely mad?”

“In one word, yes.” -Marinette sighed.

“Marinette, you can’t let that affect you.” -Tikki told her.

“I know that, but I just can’t help it. That Chloé has a special talent in finding ways to make me lose my temper.”

“You two are more alike than you think, you know?” -Tikki chuckled.

“I am not like her!” -Marinette exclaimed, feeling outraged by that commentary.

“Yes, you are. You’re both girls who have very strong opinions regarding many things, and you both want to be heard out. The difference is that you are shy and you’re afraid of what others might think about it, while Chloé is your polar opposite. She says things as she thinks they are, and doesn’t care if she’s right or wrong.”

“That still doesn’t qualify me as being like her, Tikki. Chloé is obnoxious, self-centred, selfish, and plain rude!” –Marinette pointed out.

“You’re right, she is. But were you any better, when you argued with her?” -Tikki asked her.

And then, it hit her. By yelling at Chloé, she had been no better than she was. In fact, she had been worst, because even though Chloé was everything she said, by pointing it out and yelling at her, instead of talking to her in a civilized way, Marinette had lost any shred of reason she might had. Thinking about it, made Marinette feel bad about herself. Waving her head, she cursed herself for letting her temper get the best of her.

“I screwed up, big time, haven’t I, Tikki?”

“Well, you if by screwing up, you mean, you let your temper get the best of you, when you should have talked with her in a civilized way, then yes, you did.” -Tikki waved her head. –“By talking and yelling at her the way you did, you provoked her, and made her angrier than she was.”

“I know, I know, and you’re absolutely right, Tikki. But, she’s…”

“She’s your friend… it’s true that you might not be the best of friends, but I know that if she was in danger, you’d help her. It’s just the way you are. You can’t stand seeing someone getting hurt, if you can do something to prevent it. Even if that person has been mean to you.”

Once more, the scarlet kwami was right, and Marinette knew it. The way they started bickering at each other revealed not only that they both needed to work out their relationship, but for the sake of both the team, and the world, they needed to get along well enough to not let their rivalry compromise their chances of being well succeed when fighting Hawk Moth.

“You’re right, Tikki. I need to find a way to get along with her. It’s not going to be easy, but I have to do it.” -Marinette said. –“Next time I see her, I’m going to apologize to Chloé and have a long talk with her.”

“Spoken like an aspiring leader.” -Tikki giggled. –“Now, try to get some sleep. You had a very busy morning and need to get your strength back.”

“I will, don’t worry, Tikki.” -Marinette said, as she laid down her head on the pillow and closed her eyes.  –“If you want to, you can play a little on my laptop, while I sleep.”

Ever since her miraculous was activated, and Tikki came out of it, she had spent her free time catching up on what happened with the world, since the 17th century. Being 5000 years old, the little kwami was already used to doing that, whenever she was awakened in a new century. She quickly learned how to work with a computer and to use the Internet, where she liked to hear music. Still, for her, television was the best thing that was ever invented. Being able to see all kinds of interesting things, by pressing a button was fantastic for her. Landing on the remote, she used her little hands to press the “on” button. Quickly, she pressed the remote’s buttons, looking for something interesting to watch, when her eyes caught something she considered unusual, on the news channel.

“ _This is… I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life._ ” -said the reporter.

* * *

“It is time.”

Those were the words that came from Hawk Moth’s mouth, as he opened the doors of his private chamber. His lieutenants, Reptile and Madame Romani, were delighted to hear their master saying those words. Approaching him, they awaited his next command.

“It is time for the world to know that its new master is here.” -Hawk Moth said, with an evil smile on his face. –“Let us make ourselves visible.”

Knocking its cane on the floor twice, this released a wave of purple energy, which immediately assumed a physical form, turning itself into a bubble that encased them in it. With another knock, this bubble transported them somewhere else. Reptile and Madame Romani were astounded with what happened, to say the least. One moment they were in the lair, the next, they were somewhere outside, blinded by the sunlight. It took them a few seconds for their eyes to get used to it, as the energy bubble disappeared. When their eyes finally adjusted to the light, the two of them recognized where they were. They were on top of the Sully Pavilion.

“The Louvre?” -Madame Romani said, as she recognized the museum.

“Why are we here, master?” -Reptile asked.

“I’ve always had a thing for irony, and being that this place was where I awoke after 200 years, I think it should also be the place where my new reign begins.” -Hawk Moth said, as he looked around. The city looked incredibly different from when he last saw it, at night. –“What is that?”

Down by the Louvre’s pyramid, a large crowd had gathered in front of a prefabricated stage. On it, was none other than the Mayor of Paris, André Bourgeois. As he prepared the speech he had written for the occasion, the reporters turned their cameras on him, as his face was displayed on two giant projection screens that had been assembled on the sides of the stage. They did not know what was the reason why they were there. The only thing they knew was that the mayor’s secretary had called the papers and the news channels’, stating that he would make an important announcement in front of the Louvre.  

“Fellow citizens. It is with great pride that today, I, André Bourgeois, the Mayor of our fair city of Paris, come before you with an announcement.” -the Mayor said. –“As you know, a few weeks ago, our fair city was the target of a terrorist attack, right here in the Louvre.”

“Do you finally know who was the perpetrator of this attack?!” -one of the reporters asked.

“What were the motives behind the attack? Was it religious, political?!” -another reporter asked.

“Please, please, ladies and gentlemen, please. I beg you to hold your questions until I finish. I can guarantee you, that I will answer them all, as best as I can.” -Mayor André said, trying to calm down the reporters. –“Now, as I was saying, the terrorist attack perpetrated against the Louvre, as shown us just how easily we can become a target for all kinds of terrorist attacks, That is why, I, André Bourgeois, in close collaboration with the chief of police of Paris, and the DGSE, decided to create a counter-strike force, whose work will be to survey all kinds of possible terrorist threats and attacks against the city of Paris.”

Seeing the Mayor’s face displayed on the giant screens, Hawk Moth asked himself, how was that even possible. Ever since he’d awakened, he had seen that the world had changed a lot; but given that he spent most of his time in his lair preparing for that specific time, and having Reptile and Madame Romani to do his bidding, the villain had not yet been in direct contact with the amount of technology that made the world seem so little.

“What sorcery is that?” -Hawk Moth asked, curious about it.

“That is called tele-projection, master.” -Madame Romani answered him.

“It is not sorcery, master. It’s called technology.” -Reptile said. –“That particular feat, allows one to be seen everywhere in a device called television, which is seen in every home.” -he told his master.

“Impressive… the power to be seen by everyone in the world at the same time.” -Hawk Moth. –“Mankind has certainly evolved a lot since the last time I tried to conquer the world… but not all of this so called technology will stop me from achieving my destiny.”

Turning himself into a swarm of butterflies, Hawk Moth quickly descended from the place he was, and made his way to the stage. The Mayor and everyone else, when seeing that swarm coming down on them at an incredible speed, let their instinct control their actions and quickly ran from it. When reaching the stage, Hawk Moth once more regained his physical form, and was joined by Reptile and Madame Romani, who decided to make a far less spectacular entrance.  

“This is… I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life.” -said the reporter, after watching Hawk Moth reassemble himself.


	18. Team Miraculous, Assemble!

Seeing a swarm of butterflies turning into a man, looked like something out of a magic show. But to those who saw it, something deep inside them told them that this was no magic trick. Most of the reporters had fled the scene, but a few remained, either by curiosity, or by a paralyzing fear that kept them from moving where they stood. Mayor Bourgeois, scared to death, was now crouched behind one of the news vans, dialling 911 on his cell.

Hawk Moth, lifting his cane, he used his powers to make all the cameras to hover in the air, pointing at him. The reporters wondered what exactly was going on. They had never seen anything like it before. Who was that man and those that were by his side? What did he want? But more importantly, how was he doing the things he was doing?

“Good afternoon. Forgive me for the dramatic entrance, but I wanted to get your full attention.” -Hawk Moth said. –“

“Who are you?!”

“My name is Hawk Moth, and I am the new master of this world.”

One of the reporters who felt that all of that was nothing but a magic show, decided to

“That’s a little too much for a magician to aspire, don’t you think?”

“What did you say?!”

“I said that’s a little too much for a guy like you to aspire to be. Go on, make a rabbit appear out of thin air!” -he joked, thinking that was part of some show. In his mind, what else could that kind of entrance be?  

Seeing his master being ridiculed like that, both Reptile and Madame Romani decided they were going to teach him a lesson. But, Hawk Moth told them to stay put.

“Not yet. If most people think like this ignoramus here, I think I’ll have to prove that I’m not a mere magician, and that this is not a magic show.” -Hawk Moth told them. Raising his cane, a purple aura surrounded the reporter, as he made him rise in the air. This one tried to move, but found himself unable to move an inch. The masked villain smiled as he made the man rise in the air. When he was already high enough, the aura around him disappeared and plummeted into the ground. As the man saw the ground growing bigger and bigger, his life flashed in front his eyes. He was about to hit the pavement and become a blot of blood on it, when he stopped mere centimetres from it, once more surrounded by that strange purple aura. Grasping for air, his face showed that he was scared to death of Hawk Moth.  

“Fear… my favourite human emotion.” -he smirked evilly, as the man got up on his feet and started to run as fast as he could. –“Do you still take me for a mere magician?!” -he asked the audience.

A deadly silence filled the air. No one dared to speak, after watching Hawk Moth levitating that reporter up in the air. There were all convinced that was not a prank, a scam or a hoax. It was real, and it was happening. Feeling that he had made himself clear, the villain went on with his monologue.   

“I thought so…” -Hawk Moth declared. –“And as I was saying, I am the new master of this world. For 5000 years, I’ve tried to make this world a world worthy of the strongest. A world where the strongest prevail, and where the weak ones have no place…” -he went on. –“There is no place for weakness in the world that I’m about to build. Those who decide to join me, will be welcomed. But to those who decide to fight against me and those who have chosen to side with the true owners of this world, you will be destroyed. And believe when I tell you that you will be crushed like filthy bothersome insects.”

As Hawk Moth kept rambling about what he was going to do, Mayor Bourgeois tried to contact the police. Whoever that man was, he had to be stopped at all costs.

“Come on, come on! What’s the good of having a direct line to the police commissioner, if when I need it, he doesn’t answer?!!!” -he cursed his luck.  

With all the cameras focused on him, Hawk Moth decided that he had talked enough, and it was time to make things interesting.  

“And now, to unleash my creation.” –Hawk Moth declared, as he snapped his fingers.

As he did this, back in his lair, one of Hawk Moth’s akuma butterflies disappeared from the inside of the glass dome, where they were kept, only to reappear in front of the massive graffiti that Madame Romani had hypnotized a young man to do the previous night. Approaching it, the Akuma butterfly fused itself with the graffiti, as this one began to literally come out of the wall. Teleporting it to the Louvre pyramid’s square, the drawing began to assume a realistic appearance, growing in both size and height. Soon, the creature was at least twice the size of the Sully Pavilion. With its 7 heads, all of them different, and numerous appendages like claws and wings, it was a monstrous chimera. The heads were divided into three sections. The three ones in the front had huge brachiosaurus-like necks and all had heads of giant monstrous lizards. Then, there were two in the middle with shorter necks, and their heads were heads of big felines; if one were to describe them, they would be considered a mix between lion, tiger and puma. And finally, on the back, there were three heads with giraffe-like necks. As for what their tops looked like, the closest thing to them were ravenous squirrels or chipmunks, foaming from their mouths.      

Trying not to get squashed, everyone who was still at the square ran as fast as their legs allowed them, while hearing the horrible creature roar into the air like the wild animal it was. Seeing it come to life, Madame Romani felt just as proud of it, as Hawk Moth felt. Reptile on the other hand, felt incredibly astounded by how monstrous and formidable the creature looked. Looking at it, he saw that gigantic chimera as a twisted version of Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.   

“I baptize you as Gargantua! You will obey my every command!” -Hawk Moth said, addressing his creation. –“Go, and spread the terror among these feeble humans!” -he commanded, while letting out a chilling maniacal laughter into the air.

* * *

Seeing Hawk Moth on the television, Tikki began panicking. Still, she tried to keep her cool. She knew that if she looked nervous in front of Marinette, the girl would also panic, and she could not afford that luxury right then. Dropping the remote, she flew as fast as she could towards Marinette’s bed and tried to wake her up. The girl was fast asleep, and snoring like a lumberjack.  

“Marinette! Marinette, wake up! It’s Hawk Moth!”

“Mmm… tell him to come back later…” -Marinette said. She was really asleep.

“Marinette, wake up! Hawk Moth has unleashed a monster near the Louvre! We need to go! Paris needs you!” -Tikki tried to wake her up. –“She’s sleeping like a rock… but I need to wake her up. I’m really sorry, Marinette, but you leave me no other way.”

Determined to wake her up, Tikki used all her strength to lift a glass of water that Marinette had on her bedside table, and quickly poured the water on the sleeping girl, waking her up instantly. Startled, Marinette tried to figure what was going on. At first, she thought she was drowning, but then realized that it had been Tikki who poured the water on her.

“What’s the big idea, Tikki?! You soaked me!”

“I’m sorry, Marinette, but you wouldn’t wake up, and it’s urgent. Hawk Moth is here!”

“H-Hawk Moth?!” -Marinette’s eyes widened, as she heard that name. –“What do you mean, he’s here?”

“He’s here… or better, in the television!” -the little kwmi pointed to the television.

Hearing her say that, Marinette jumped out of the bed and quickly ran towards the television, and what she saw scared the dickens out of her. It was not just Hawk Moth that scared her, it was also the gigantic monstrous creature that had appeared out of nowhere. She gulped and realized, for the first time, that she and the rest of her class were up against something way above their paygrade.

“I can’t go fight that thing!” -Marinette told Tikki, as the little kwami approached her. –

“Of course, you can.”

“No, I can’t! That thing is huge! I’ll be squashed like a pancake, if that thing stomps on me!” -Marinette said, as she imagined herself being squashed flat by the monster.

“You won’t be squashed, Marinette.” -Tikki assured her.

“How can you know that?”

“Because I’m your kwami, and because I know that you’ve been training really hard to become the bestest Ladybug ever.” -Tikki told her.  –“And, because you won’t be alone. Your friends will be there too, fighting by your side.”

“But how am I going to stop a creature like that, along with Hawk Moth and those other two that are with him?”

“You’ll find a way, Marinette.” -Tikki smiled tenderly. –“Now, come on. There’s not a minute to lose.”

“But, how am I going to get out, without my parents seeing me leave?”

“Simple, use the rooftop. Have you forgotten that with your yo-yo, you can swing between buildings?”

“You’re right.” -Marinette said. –“But first, I’m going to send a message to everyone, notifying them of what’s going on. -she said, as she grabbed her cell phone and began texting everyone the message “Hawk Moth in Louvre. Miraculous time!”

“Hurry up, Marinette!” -Tikki begged her to hurry.   

Sending the text to the others, she placed the phone back where it was. Taking a deep breath, she said:

“Tikki, transforme moi!”

With those words, Marinette’s clothes quickly changed into her Ladybug costume, complete with a mask, which hid her real identity. Going to her rooftop, she jumped into action, running through the rooftops, on her way to the Louvre. This was the first time she was going to face the threat they had been training for. She should be terrified and worried, just like she was before transforming. But instead, she felt confident, with a sense of braveness growing inside her, with each step she gave.

“Time to send that guy back where he came from.” -Ladybug said, as she jumped from a rooftop and used her yo-yo as a grappling hook to swing between buildings.

* * *

“I don’t believe it… it’s Hawk Moth…” -Rose said, as she saw him on TV.

Everyone was practically glued to the TV screen, as Hawk Moth made the reporter rise up in the air, and then dropped him, just to make him hover a few centimetres above the pavement, when he was about to hit it. As they watched it, they got a message from Marinette, warning them about was going on.

“We’ve got to go.” -Juleka whispered to her, as she grabbed her purse and took out two 20 Euros bills, placing them on the table. –“Come on, Rose.”

Grabbing her friend by the wrist, Juleka left the restaurant, looking for a place to transform. She had not told anyone, not even Rose, that she was secretly eager to go on her first mission against Hawk Moth. She knew that was kind of stupid, given she could actually die, but her rebel side was eager to see if she could really handle both the pressure and the responsibility of saving the city of Paris and the world from the claws of a maniac. Turning left, they both stopped in a deserted alley.

“Okay, are you ready, Rose?” -Juleka asked her, waiting for an answer. But that answer did not come. The blonde just stood there, silent. –“What’s wrong, Rose?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong kid?” -Flint showed up.

“Is there something wrong?” -Tamara jumped out of Juleka’s purse.

“I’m scared…”

“Scared? Scared of what, kid? Of Hawk Moth?” -Flint asked the blonde.

“Y-Yes.” -Rose waved her head. –“I know this sounds stupid, but, I don’t think I can do this. I thought I might, but after seeing him doing those things and invoking that creature, I don’t think I can do it.”

“Sure, you can, Rose.” -Flint told her. –“You’ve got the talent and the powers to teach that idiot a lesson! Come on, put on your war face.”

Still, no matter what Flint told her, Rose just stood there. Juleka understood that her friend was afraid, but she could not let fear stop her from doing what she had been chosen for. Holding both her hands, Juleka looked Rose in the eyes and with a warm smile on her face, she said.

“I know you’re afraid, but so are those people. And if we don’t stop that maniac, he’s going to hurt a lot of people.” -Juleka said. –“I can’t promise you that we won’t get hurt, but I can promise you this. As your best friend, I’ll be by your side the whole time, and I’ll protect you.”

Hearing those words, Rose smiled and hugged Juleka. It was not the first time Juleka managed to give her courage like that. As she broke the hug, she smiled and said:

“Thanks, Juleka. I needed to hear that.”

“Don’t mention it.” -Juleka smiled back.

“You still owe me a war face! Come on, scare me!” -Flint exclaimed, as he hovered a few millimetres from Rose’s face, looking her in the eyes.

“Fine…” -she sighed. –“Rrrrraaaaarrrgggghhhhh!” -she growled, scaring Flint and making him hide behind Juleka. A few seconds later, he looked over the Goth’s shoulder and smiled.

“Ha, that’s my girl! Now, come on, you girls have a city to save and a 5000-year-old psychopath to stop!” -Flint said.

“He’s right.” -Tamara agreed.

“Alright, enough chit-chat. You’re ready Rose?”

“Ready.” -the blonde said.

“Then, here we go… Tamara, transforme moi!” -Juleka exclaimed.

“Flint, transforme moi!” -Rose exclaimed.

With those words professed, it took the girls an instant to assume their superhero identities, Corbeau Noire and Flamingo. When the transformation ended, they held hands and with a powerful leap, the girls lifted themselves into the sky, and began to fly. From the air, they could both see the Louvre at the distance, as well as the creature that Hawk Moth had magically summoned. They silently nodded to one another and continued flying towards it, when they saw someone running on a nearby rooftop; it was none other than their friend Kim in his superhero persona, Antelope. Signalling Flamingo, the two of them flew low, until they were side-by-side with him.

“Let me guess? You two also saw what that maniac has done?” -Antelope asked them, as he speeded up on top of the roof.

“I think everyone in Paris did.” -Corbeau Noire said.

“Well, since he decided to come out and play, it’s only fair for us to introduce ourselves.” -Antelope exclaimed, as he leapt high into the sky, landing on another rooftop.

“Shouldn’t we wait for the others before we attack?” -Flamingo asked him.

“Wait? Not me. You girls can wait, but me, I have the need, the need for speed, and to quick some evil psycho butt!” -Antelope exclaimed, as he speeded up, leaving both Flamingo and Corbeau Noire behind him.   

“He’s going to get himself into trouble.” -Corbeau Noire told Flamingo.

“Aren’t we all?” –Flamingo said sarcastically, to which Corbeau Noire responded with a mischievous smile, knowing she was right.

* * *

Adrien had come home from training, and went directly to his room, saying that he had a lot of work to do before lunch. In reality, he needed to take a shower, and change clothes. After lunch, he went back to his room, where he and Plagg decided to play some videogames. There was a lot to choose from, but Plagg had addicted himself to playing Mario Kart 8, and had dragged Adrien with him on that little addiction of his.

“You’re going down!” -Plagg said, as he hopped on the control buttons, while using his tail to move the analog stick.

“You wished, camembert breath!” -Adrien laughed, as he used a blue shell on him.

“Hey, that’s cheating!”

“Says you!”  -Adrien laughed, as he got ready to cross the finish line, when Plagg changed the channel. –“Hey! What’s the big idea, Plagg?”

“Everything’s fair, including changing the channel!” -Plagg laughed, mocking Adrien. –“And with this, I’m still the unbeatable champion of this game!”

“I’ll get you next time.” -Adrien said, as he turned off the console.

“Well, where’s my prize? Come on, where’s my Camembert?”

“Fine, here.” -Adrien said, as he took out a piece of Camembert form his pocket. –“I know I’ve said more than once, but you’ve got a lousy taste when it comes to your snacks… hey, what’s going on? Turn up the volume!”

“This is… I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life.” -said the reporter.

“It’s Hawk Moth!” -Plagg screamed.

“So, he finally decided to show up?” -Adrien said, as he saw the villain in question.

“Guess it’s time to go hero, kid.” -Plagg said. –“Just say the magic words, and let’s go teach that creep some manners!”

“I-I can’t go. You know that I can’t go outside. My dad won’t allow it. It was already hard to convince him this morning, He won’t fall for the same trick twice.” -Adrien told him.

“Adrien… you don’t have to use the front door.” -Plagg said. –“Use the window! For crying out loud, you’ve got superpowers, so use them.”

“What if someone enters my room and sees that I’m not here? My dad will flip his lid!” -Adrien told him.

“Look, you send a text to your dad’s secretary telling her that you’re going to work on your school report until it’s time for dinner, and that you don’t want to be disturbed. As for your dad, I’m going to check on him. Be right back.”

Plagg quickly entered into one of the room’s air ducts and made his way to Adrien’s dad study, to see what he was doing. Meanwhile, Adrien waited for him to return. As seconds turned to minutes, the blond asked himself why was his kwami taking so long to return, when he popped up from the air vent.

“No worries. Your dad’s so busy with his work, I can tell that he won’t be coming out of his study until it’s dinner time.” -Plagg told him. –“That will give you enough time to get that psycho and come back, without anyone realizing you left.”

“If you say so. Then let’s go.” -Adrien said. As he was about to transform, he felt his cell phone vibrating on his pants. Taking it, he saw that it was a text from Nino, asking him if he was watching what was going on the news, to which he answered yes. –“I’m texting Nino to meet us on the way to the Louvre.” -he said, when he noticed that Marinette had sent him a text. –“And we better hurry. Marinette has texted everyone, warning us about Hawk moth’s appearance at the Louvre!”

“Well, then let’s go! Just say the magic words!” -Plagg exclaimed, becoming more impatient by the minute.

“Alright, alright, just give me a minute.” -Adrien said, as he texted Nathalie, and locked his door room. –“Okay, let’s go! Plagg, transforme moi!”

Once transformed into his feline alter-ego, Adrien opened one of the windows and using his staff, he catapulted himself into a nearby rooftop. Running as fast as he could, he kept looking for Nino to show up. He had been running for several minutes now, when he spotted him, already wearing his Jade Turtle costume. Signalling him, he jumped to the other side of the street to catch up to him.

“Looking good, bro!” -Jade Turtle said.

“Yeah, I feel pawsome while wearing this suit.” -Chat Noir admitted. –“You ready for this?”

“I got your back, Chat, don’t worry.” -Jade Turtle told the dark feline.

* * *

“I don’t believe this…” -Pollen said.

“You don’t believe what, Pollen?” -Chloé asked her.

“Hawk Moth is here!” -Pollen exclaimed.

“He’s what?!!!” -Chloé asked, as she stopped next to her kwami, who kept hovering in the air, while looking at the television. –“Oh, my God! My dad’s there!!!” -she said, as the camera turned to the side to show the Mayor trembling with fear, while hiding behind one of the news vans. Still, the camera quickly turned back to Hawk Moth, who had concentrated his attention on nearby victim. –“What’s he doing to that man?!”

“You need to transform and get over there.” -Pollen said, as she watched the horror and fear on Chloé’s face. –“Chloé, don’t be afraid.”

“How can I not be afraid of that… that psycho?! Did you see what he did?!” -Chloé asked her in panic. –“He almost killed that man!”

“I know, and believe me. If he manages to rule the world, it will be even worse. I know it, because I’ve seen it.” -Pollen told her. –“I know you’re really scared, but like I told you before, you have the courage inside of you, to do incredible things, Chloé.”

“But… But…”

“No buts, Chloé. In order to defeat him, you all have to fight together. Your friends need you. You said you wanted to prove to them that you’re trying to turn over a new leaf, right? So, do you still remember that last piece of advice I gave you?”

“T-To always be there for my friends?”

“Exactly! And right now, they need you. Not only them, but your dad as well.” -Pollen told her. –“Now, transform and go help them save the world, Chloé Bourgeois!”

Hearing her say that, Chloé knew that Pollen was absolutely right. If she wanted her friends to give her a chance to prove that she was really trying to turn over a new leaf, she had to make them understand it, by giving the first step. Plus, her dad was in peril, and she had to find a way to save him. Coincidently, as she made up her mind about what she had to do, her cell phone rang, warning her that she had received a text. Opening it, she saw it was from Marinette, telling her to head to the Louvre, because Hawk Moth had appeared there. Reading it a couple of times to herself, she knew what she had to do. Taking a few deep breaths, she said:

“Alright, it’s Queen Bee to the rescue, then!” -her saying that, made Pollen giggle a little.  –“Pollen, transforme moi!”

In a matter of seconds, Chloé’s clothes were replaced by her Queen Bee costume, and she was ready for action. She was about to open one of the windows that gave access to the balcony and jump from it, when she remembered herself that she could not be seen leaving from there.

“ _Someone might see me, and make the connection…_ ” -she thought to herself.

Quickly, she came up with an alternative. Exiting her room, she ran to the end of the corridor and caught the elevator to the hotel’s rooftop. As the elevator went up, she thought that in the near future, she would have to think of a better way to exit the hotel in her superhero alter-ego, without being seen. When the elevator doors opened, she instantly took off into the air as fast as she could; she was not going to take the chance of someone seeing her.

Flying high above the city, she quickly spotted to figures not far from her. It was Alix, or better yet, Dragonfly, who was carrying Sabrina’s superhero alter-ego, Louve Grise in her arms. Dashing through the air, she stopped in front of them. Noticing that Dragonfly was having some difficulties flying while carrying the redhead, she offered to help her.

“Hey! Need a hand?”

“If you don’t mind.” -Dragonfly told her. That said, louvre Grise give one of her hands to Queen Bee, and the other to Dragonfly. Holding her safely between them, Louve was now suspended in the air by the two of them, each holding her by the arm. -“You are alright, Louve?”

“I’m okay, don’t worry.” -Louve Grise told her.

“You girls also got the text from Marinette… I mean, Ladybug?” -Queen Bee asked them.

“She sent one?” -Dragonfly asked. –“I transformed as soon as I saw the news, and so did she. I decided to give her lift, so she wouldn’t take too long to get where the action is.”

“Then, we better get moving. My dad’s right in the middle of the action, and I have to get him out of there!” -Queen Bee warned them. –“Hang on, Louve Grise.”

“Okay, Chl… I mean, Queen Bee.” -Louve Grise winked at both her friends.

“Time to go supersonic, then!” -Dragonfly exclaimed.       

* * *

After lunch, Alya just wanted to relax, but her sisters, Ella and Etta did not let her. With her parents at work, she had to babysit them.

“Come on, Alya, play with us!” -Ella said.

“Yeah, play with us!” -Etta said

Alya was absolutely bushed from the training and was in no mood to play with her little sisters. On top of it all, she still had not find a suitable theme for her blog, and that was making her crazy. Still, she could not tell them what she had been doing.

“Don’t you girls just want to watch television?” -she asked them.

“No!” -they both replied in chorus.

“What if I let you watch a movie I download it last night? It’s a really good one.” -Alya faked the enthusiasm as best as she could. She was so tired that all she really wanted was to get a couple of hours of sleep to regain her strength. But to do that, she had to come up with a way to keep her little sisters entertained long enough for her to sleep.  

“Can we eat ice cream, while we watch it?” -Etta asked her older sister.

“Sure.” -Alya said. She just wanted the two of them busy, so she could get some rest. –“I’ll be right back. You two stay here.”

She quickly went to her room and grabbed an USB Pen Drive, where she had the movie she told her sisters about. As she was about to exit, Trixx showed up.

“You’ve got a text message, Alya.” -Trixx told her.

“I’ll check it in a minute.” -she told her.

“But I think it’s important.” -Trixx warned her.

“Just give me a minute.” -Alya said, as she closed the door behind her.

After putting the movie on the television, she went to the kitchen and fixed a huge bowl of ice cream for Ella and Etta. As soon as they both saw it, they were thrilled, because their mom would never allow them to eat ice cream after lunch. Still, before giving it to them, Alya looked them in the eyes and said:

“Now, I’m going to give you this, but first, you must promise me three things, and if you don’t do them, I’ll never let you eat ice cream again when we’re alone at home, okay?”

“Yes!” -they said in chorus.

“Okay, first, you have to promise you won’t get yourselves dirty or anything else on this room with ice cream. Second, you can’t tell mom or dad about this. And third, you won’t make a noise while watching the movie, so I can sleep a little. And that includes not entering my room, understood?” -she asked them, to which they waved their heads. –“Okay, here you go. Now remember, if you break any of those promises…”

“We won’t Alya! We promise.” -they said in chorus.

Smiling, she went back to her room and was about to lay down on her bed, when Trixx showed up once more, pointing to her cell phone. Sighing, she grabbed it and checked the text. It was from Marinette, and when she read it, she almost dropped her cell. Her kwami immediately looked over her shoulder and read it too.

“No time to waste, girl! You’ve got to transform and join the others!” -Trixx told her.   

“But I can’t let my sisters alone. What kind of an older sister would I be if I let the two of them alone at home, without any supervision?” -Alya asked her kwami.

“The kind of sister that has to deal with a maniacal psychopath who wants to rule the world, and will fight against him and his minions, to make sure that the world is a safe place for her younger sisters, that’s who.” -Trixx told her. –“What do you think will happen if Hawk Moth actually wins? Your sisters will be the first he’ll come after, as well as your parents. You know I’m right, Alya,”

Trixx was right. If she wanted to protect her sisters, as well as her parents, she would have to go and fight Hawk Moth, even if that meant leaving them unsupervised for a while.

“Well, the movie is three hours long. They won’t even notice I’m gone.” -Alya said. –“ _Guess this means, no nap for me._ ” -she told herself. -“Okay, let’s go. I’ll transform right away and then, I’ll sneak through the balcony.”

“Just be careful not to get caught.” –Trixx told her.

“I can be a sneaky ninja, when I want to.” -Alya smirked. –“Trixx, transforme moi!”

Assuming her Volpina identity, Alya sneaked out of her room as quietly as possible. She knew that if their sisters saw her wearing the outfit, they would ask questions; questions she would not be able to answer. Luckily, Ella and Etta were so focused on the movie, they did not hear her sneak into the balcony. Using her flying abilities, she dashed into the air. She was halfway to the Louvre, when she caught eye of three people she knew quite well running on the city’s rooftops, Max, Ivan and Mylene; or better yet, their superhero personas, Arachnid, Grizzly Bear and Forest Doe.    

“You got the message from Marinette, didn’t you?” -Volpina asked them.

“He did.” -Grizzly Bear pointed to Arachnid. –“Me and her, we watched Hawk Moth making his grand appearance on the news.”

“Do you think we stand a chance against him or that creature he conjured up?” -Forest Doe asked them.

“Don’t know, but we can’t let him get away with it.” -Volpina said.

“One thing I’m certain of. We won’t go down without a fight.” -Arachnid said.  

* * *

Nathaniel had decided to go to his favourite arts and crafts shop to get some supplies, after lunch. He had just finished paying for the things he had bought, when he heard police sirens approaching. Turning around, he saw ten police cars with their sirens on, passing by at full speed. Wondering why the police cars passed by at that speed, he quickly placed everything in his bag, almost crushing his kwami, Mulan, in the process and exited the shop to see what was going on. In the past, he would never care to follow a police car to see what had happened. But ever since he got his miraculous, Nathaniel developed a sense of wariness, if one could call it that, and when he saw or felt that something was not right, he would go and check it out.

“You almost squashed me, Nathaniel!”

“Sorry, Mulan. But there’s something going on.”

You bet there’s something wrong. You should be more careful when you’re carrying me inside your backpack, you know?” -the kwami said, his voice muffled by the backpack.

“Not that. Something else.” -Nathaniel whispered back at him.

“What do you mean, by something else?”

“Hawk Moth…” -he said, as he passed by an electronics store and saw the villain on display on the news channel.

“What?!” -Mulan exclaimed, after hearing him say that name. –“Where?”

“On the television.” -he said.

Mulan quickly peeked out of Nathaniel’s backpack and saw what he was talking about. Hawk Moth had just made a humongous monster appear out of thin air, that was now wreaking havoc in front of the Louvre.

“That Hawk Moth has always loved to make a big entrance… You know this means, don’t you?”

“Time for me to suit up.” -Nathaniel said.

“Exactly. The others have probably seen this too and are on their way.”

“If they read this text from Marinette, I’m sure they are.” -Nathaniel said, as he checked his cell phone.  

“They’re going to need your skills to fight that creature, that’s for sure.”

Looking for a place where he could transform, he found a nearby alley which was deserted. Opening his backpack, he let Mulan out, before hiding it under an old abandoned cardboard box he saw lying around. He would have to come back later to get it. Once, he felt that no one would find his backpack, he turned around and said to Mulan.

“Not a moment to lose… Mulan, transforme moi!!!”

In an instant, Nathaniel changed into Panda Rouge and was ready for action. Still, being a little far from the Louvre, he had to improvise a way to get there as fast as possible. Grabbing his pen, he began to draw his ticket to the museum. In a matter of seconds, he had drawn a pair of rocket propelled skates, which would allow him to get to his destination in a matter of minutes. Putting them on, he shot himself out of the alley, speeding through the streets. The people who saw him passing by them were both shocked and surprised, to say the least. The did not know who or what he was supposed to be, but with that outfit and those skates, he was sure to make the news, one way or another.  

“ _Hang in there, guys. The cavalry is on its way!_ ” -Panda Rouge thought to himself.


	19. Our First Battle

As Gargantua slowly moved, each of its steps made the earth tremble. Those who saw it instantly started running as fast as they could. Those that were in their cars, either turned them around, hitting the gas pedal, or they simply abandoned them on the site and started also running. They wanted to get away from that creature, and on that particular situation, instinct got the better of people. The most basic of instincts, fear, got the better of them, who did not rationalize what to do with clarity. This made Hawk Moth smile, as he saw his creature roaring.

Suddenly, the police arrived. Dozens of cars, screeched as they stopped right in front of the square. Each one of them filled with dedicated professionals, whose work was to ensure the safety of the public, no matter what. Given that what was happening had already went viral, thanks to the Internet, it was only a matter of time before the army showed up to fight the Gargantua. The whole thing looked more and more like a scene from either a Godzilla or a King Kong movie, with the tiny humans attacking the ginormous creature that was about to destroy the town. They would be the first ones to take on the creature, and among them was lt. Roger Raincomprix, Sabrina’s dad. Exiting the car, he signalled his men to take positions behind the cars, while he looked for the Mayor. The creature looked even more menacing up close than it looked from afar. He would be lying to himself, if he said he wished he was somewhere else right then. Still, as one of the high-ranking officers there, he had to set an example for the others, and that meant staying calm, or appearing to be calm. Still, it was not easy, especially when he had some of the creature’s heads looking at them as if they were delicious appetizers.  

“ _Thank God Sabrina isn’t here, right now._ ” -he thought to himself. Thinking about how his daughter was far away and safe, gave him the courage to do his job. –“Alright, everyone, we need to take control of the situation here. I want half of the men to help the people getting out of the area, while the other half stays with me, and prepares to engage the creature. Remember, don’t panic and don’t try to be heroes, understand? Now, go.”

Doing as they were ordered, half of the contingency went on to help the people who did not know where to go to escape the creature. Quickly and orderly, the officers directed them to either the inside of the museum, where they would be safe, or to the Jardin du Carrousel, in the direction to the Jardin des Tuileries. As for the other half, they readied themselves to fight the creature. Right then, it was just standing there, stomping its feet against the ground and causing impact tremors that were strong enough to make people fall, windows to shatter and car alarms to go out like crazy. And the worst part, was that that could very well be the beginning. No one knew what that creature would be able to do if provoked.     

Grabbing a megaphone, he had in his car, he turned it on and addressed Hawk Moth, who, according to what he had been told over the radio, had made appeared the creature. –“Listen, pal! I don’t know what this is all about, but if you made this creature appear, then you will make it disappear as well! You have 5 seconds to comply, or we’ll open fire! One… Two…”

* * *

On the inside of the Louvre, three floors below ground, Gargantua’s presence also made itself be felt. Jalil Kubdel, and his father were both in his office, next to the restoration rooms, doing some research, when they felt the place shaking lightly.

“What was that?” -Mr. Kubdel asked.

“An earthquake?” -Jalil said, questioning himself if it really had been an earthquake or not.

“Can’t be… Paris is too far away from any major tectonic plate.” – he said. –“It sounded more like…” -Mr. Kubdel said, as the room around them trembled. –“… an impact tremor.”

“But if that’s so, what’s making them?” -Jalil asked. If that was the case, the thing that was making them would have to be gigantic, for them to feel it that deep underground.

Once more, the room trembled, this time with a lot more strength than before, knocking a few books from the shelves, as well as making the small chandelier on the ceiling wobble. It was then, that someone barged into the room. It was a security guard and he looked like he had seen a ghost.

“You have to get out. There’s a monster outside!” -the security guard practically yelled.

“I beg your pardon?!” -Mr. Kubdel asked, rather shocked by what he had just heard. 

“A monster?!” -Jalil asked.  

“Is this some kind of joke?” -Mr. Kubdel asked, still trying to understand what was going on. –“Because if this is some kind of joke…”

“It’s not a joke, sir.” -the security guard said. –“It’s all over the news! A strange man has showed up and he has been doing strange things like lifting up a guy in the air and making a huge monster appear!”

Hearing that, Jalil quickly accessed the Internet on his laptop and saw what the man was saying was true.

“He’s not kidding, dad, look…”

Looking at the live transmission, both father and son did not know what to say, or how to respond to what they were watching.

“I don’t believe it… I mean, I’m seeing it, but I can’t believe it.” –Mr. Kubdel declared, as his eyes were glued to the screen, watching the abominable creature move around the Louvre square. –“Who did you say was doing this?”

“From what I heard and saw, it’s a strange man with a silver mask, purple suit and a cane, who has appeared out of nowhere, and was accompanied by two others, a man that looks like a human lizard and a woman who looks like gypsy!” -the security guard said.     

Hearing the description of the man who supposedly was the responsible for what was going on outside, Jalil immediately checked his computer. If he was right about it, then he knew who was it. As he opened a few photos he had in his laptop’s hard drive, and compared them to the image of the man who was supposedly responsible for what was happening, he saw that they were one and the same, or at least, they looked like. Signalling his father, he pointed it to the similarities between both figures.

“It can’t be… but it’s…”

“It’s the guy from that statue that was blown into smithereens the other night, dad…” -Jalil said, as the room shook once more. This time it shook with such strength that numerous other books fell from the bookshelves at the same time, and a couple of cracks appeared on the ceiling’s plaster.

“B-But…” -Mr. Kubdel stuttered, not knowing what to say or think. –“But that statue was at least 200 years old. How can this be?” -he asked, thinking the only possible explanation for it was that someone had seen the statue and decided to wear the same kind of clothes. But if that was true, then, how did the man could know about the statue, if it had been destroyed?

“I know, I know, the statue was from the end of the 18th century, dad, but the guy who’s standing there, he looks exactly like the man depicted in the statue!” -Jalil told him. –“I don’t know, I can’t explain it, but what if the statue came to life and that man and the statue are one and the same?

“That’s ridiculous, Jalil! That’s even more ridiculous than your usual theories regarding some artefacts.”

“Is it more ridiculous than having that monstrous seven-headed creature stomping the ground up there?!” -Jalil asked his father. –“I admit that it sounds ridiculous, dad, and I’m even willing to, maybe admit that that guy is an ancestor of the guy depicted on the statue, but if so, why would he do this, and how did he make a creature like that appear out of nowhere? Because, unless he’s David Copperfield or Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin pulling off a major illusion, I can’t explain how he’s doing it.”

Hearing him say that, Mr. Kubdel could not find anything in his son’s reasoning he could objectify. Whatever was going on, it certainly lacked any scientific or objective explanation, and he, for once, was not going to argue about it.

“That doesn’t matter, right now. What matters is that we have to get out of here.” -he told his son.

“And go where? Dad, if we go up, we’ll have to deal with that thing!”

“And if we stay here, we risk being something crumble on top of us.” -Mr. Kubdel said, as he grabbed his coat. –“Now, grab your things and let’s go. Bring just what it’s absolutely necessary.” -he said, as he checked his pockets to see if he had his wallet and his cell phone.

“Fine.” -Jalil said, as he grabbed his cell phone and his wallet. He did not agree with his father’s decision, but given the danger they might be, it was best to do as he said, and hope for the best. –“I just hope you’re right, dad.”

As they left the office, guided by the security guard, other people also joined them in the corridor, on their way out of the building. But, when they reached the area where the visitors were, they saw that chaos had installed itself, with people both trying to get in the building, trying to get away from the monster, and people trying to exit it, feeling they would stand a better chance if they kept a good distance from the awful creature. Seeing themselves unable to get out, both father and son tried to look for another way out of there.

“Maybe if we head back…” –Mr. Kubdel said, when he noticed his son talking on the phone. –“What are you doing?

“I’m calling mom and Alix.” -Jalil answered his father. –“If one of them is watching what’s happening outside, they’ll be asking herself if we’re alright or not.” -he said, but it seemed no one was at home. –“I can’t get them on the phone. They’re both probably not at home. I’m going to try their cells.”

* * *

“… Three… Four!” -Lt. Raincomprix went on with the countdown.  

“How delightful… they think they can outmatch the power of my creature.” -Hawk Moth smiled evilly, as he looked at the police officers pointing their weapons at Gargantua. –“I think they’re going in for a little surprise.” -he told Reptile and Madame Romani, who also smiled.  

When Lt. Raincomprix reached five, every cop started shooting at the creature. It did not take long for two things to happen. First, the bullets ending, and second, to realize that Gargantua did not feel a thing. Some of the officers made the idiotic move of grabbing their taser guns and approach the creature to hit it with them. The result was even less impressive than the one with the bullets, that were sucked into the creature’s skin. And in the end, they almost got crushed by it.

“Fall back! Into the museum, I repeat, into the museum!” -Lt. Raincomprix ordered, as he too dropped his megaphone and started running.

“Go, Gargantua… smash their vehicles. I want them to tremble a little more, before the main event.” -Hawk Moth commanded the creature.

Obeying his master, Gargantua moved and with his enormous feet, he began smashing the police cars, crushing them into scrap metal. Some of them even exploded, contributing to the general mayhem. If things went on like that, soon the Pyramid square would be a war zone, like the ones seen in Bagdad or Tel Aviv. It was then that he noticed someone hiding behind a news van. It was the Mayor, and he looked absolutely terrified. Approaching him, he smiled, trying to calm him down. From experience, he knew that people that were under pressure or had had a traumatic experience, responded better to a smile than anything else, when it came to gaining their trust.  

“No need to worry, Mr. Mayor. Just come with me. We’ll be safer inside.” -Lt. Raincomprix said, as he helped the Mayor walk, when a police car thrown by one of Gargantua’s heads into the air, landed just a few feet from them. The Mayor, already scared with what was going on, froze in place. As for Lt. Raincomprix, he also tried to move, but with one of the heads looking at him.   

“Can we join in it, Master?” -Reptile asked him. He wanted to feel useful to his master, and just standing there, without taking part in the action was making him restless.  

“Why not? Go ahead, scare them as much as you can. Their fearful hearts will be a delicious…”

But before he could finish his sentence, something hit Gargantua on one of its heads, making it roar in anger. Whatever it hit the monster it had been so fast that no one actually saw what it looked like. But, if one would have looked carefully, it would have seen that what hit Gargantua had been none other than Dragonfly. She had volunteered to distract it, so both Queen Bee and Louve Grise could save their parents.

Those two, as soon as they reached where their parents were, quickly grabbed them and carry them out of there as quickly as they could. The two adults, still in shock from both the monster and the fact that they could have been flattened by that police car, only reacted when the girls put them down on the far side of the Jardin du Carrousel.

“W-What?!” -Mayor Bourgeois said.

“Don’t worry, you’re safe now.” -Queen Bee told her father.

“Still, you should get the Mayor to a safe location, and stay there.” -Louve Grise told her dad.

“W-Who are you?” -Lt. Raincomprix asked them.

“Let’s just say we’re friends, and we’re here to deal with that madman and that monster.” -Louve Grise answered him with a warm and tender voice. She was happy that she was able to save her father, before he got hurt by that monstrosity.

“Trust us. We can handle this. Just get yourselves to safety.” -Queen Bee told them, as she took up into the sky, followed by Louve Grise, who was already sprinting away through the garden, back to the Louvre where the action was taking place.

“Remember, whatever happens get to a safe place and don’t come out until we’ve dealt with this creature.” -Louve Grise warned them once more. –“ _Be careful, dad._ ” -she thought to herself.

“We better do it as they told us, your honour. It’s not safe to stay here.” -Lt. Raincomprix told Mayor Bourgeois. He should go back and see if his men were alright, but right then, he felt that it was his mission to protect him.

“Y-Yes, we should.” -he said.

As they started walking, both men could not shake the feeling that the girls who saved them were looked somehow familiar, but they could not picture from where.

* * *

His monster got hit, and that made Hawk Moth question what was going on. He did not even see what hit Gargantua, but whatever it was it was fast.

“What was that?!” -Hawk Moth roared, demanding to know who had attacked his monster.

“That was your first and only warning, Hawk Moth!” -a female voice said, as Hawk Moth was stroke directly in the head by Ladybug’s yo-yo. The blow was not powerful enough to knock him down, but it still made him lose his balance for a couple of seconds. Reptile and Madame Romani quickly went to his aid, but he pushed them away, saying he did not need help. When he finally regained his balance, Hawk Moth saw in front of him stood none other than Ladybug.

Seeing her, Hawk Moth smiled.  

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t a miraculous holder… Ladybug, I presume.”

“You presume well, Hawk Moth.” -Ladybug declared. Looking her in the eyes, one could see that she was not in the mood for jokes. –“I’m here to stop you and whatever creature this one is!”

This statement made Hawk Moth smile, but this smile was a malicious and disdainful smile.  

“You miraculous holders have always thought of yourselves as high and mighty as they come, when in fact, you’re nothing more than mere pawns in a chess game, where I am the king.” -he gloated himself.

“Well, good thing she’s not alone, you psycho!” -another female version was heard. This time, the one that talked was Volpina, who arrived at the scene, followed by Grizzly Bear, Forest Doe and Arachnid.

“And in case you don’t remember, in chess, the king may be the one of the strongest pieces on the board, but it’s also one of the weakest, because it only moves one square at the time!” -Arachnid told him.

“You think you’re so high and mighty, but guess what, we’re not scared of you!” -Louve Grise exclaimed, as she and Queen Bee stopped right next to Volpina.

“And that means all of us, Moth Breath!” -Chat Noir exclaimed, as he and Jade Turtle joined the team. At the same time, Panda Rouge, Flamingo, Corbeau Noire, Antelope and Dragonfly arrived on the scene, completing the group.

“We’re here to stop you and whatever that thing is, and you better believe it when I say that you’re going to regret ever coming back to life, man!” -Grizzly Bear shot at him.

Seeing them all there, Hawk Moth felt a little surprised. Counting them, he saw that all the miraculouses had been activated; and the last time that happened was when he was turned into stone. Looking them in the eyes, he saw determination and purpose them, alongside a sense of duty. Still, that meant nothing to him, because when he looked at them, all he saw was a group of teenagers fighting a battle meant for grown-ups.

“Your predecessors not only were older than you are, but they also showed a little more respect towards me.”

“Oh, yeah?! Well, too bad, because we aren’t them!” -Dragonfly told him. –“And guess what? You’re going to see first-hand what it means messing with our town and everyone that lives in it!”

The way Dragonfly talked made Hawk Moth’s disdainful smile grow even more. Both Reptile and Madame Romani also began to smile, after hearing such illustrious speech.

“Such bravado in you, young lady. I like that.” -he smirked. –“But, where are my manners? Obviously, you know who I am, but I don’t know who you are… I mean, I do know that every single Ladybug has that name, God knows why, but the rest of you, every miraculous holder tends to use a different name, depending on their personality and taste. So, if it’s not much to ask you, would you present yourselves?” -he asked them in a chivalrous voice.

Not knowing how to react, they all decided to go along with it, never letting him out of their sight. They could feel that he was up to something; they just did not know what exactly. But whatever it was, it could not be good.   

“Since you ask, I’m Ladybug.”

“I’m Chat Noir.”

“The name’s Volpina.”

“I’m Jade Turtle.”

“Queen Bee, but you can call me “your personal nightmare, buster!”

“I’m Louve Grise.”

“I’m Flamingo.”

“Call me, Corbeau Noire.”

“For you, I’m Dragonfly.”

“Antelope.”

“I’m Panda Rouge.

“Arachnid.”

“I’m Forest Doe.”

“And I’m Grizzly Bear! And don’t you forget it”

“Interesting… some of you kept the original names of your predecessors, while others chose another.” -he smirked.

“What’s so interesting about that?!” -Arachnid asked him.

“What is so interesting about it? I’ll tell you what it is… what’s interesting is that no matter how many times this happens, and how many of you appear before me, they always believe that they can stop me.” -Hawk Moth told them, this time with a cold and malevolent voice. –“For 5000 years we’ve been doing this dance. You defeat me, and sooner or later I come back. Aren’t you tired of this?”

“What are you talking about? We never saw you until today!” -Antelope told him.

“I’m not talking to you! I’m addressing to the animal spirits that inhabit your miraculouses…” -he said in a fit of rage. –“Aren’t you the least bit tired of this? After all this time, aren’t you the least bit tired of knowing that you can’t truly stop me? Aren’t you tired of knowing that no matter how many times you defeat, me I will always come back. But more importantly, aren’t you tired of knowing that you can only postpone the inevitable?”

“I’m not going to stay here hearing this nut talking crazy.” -Grizzly Bear said, as he folded his fists, getting ready for the fight.

“I’m with you, Grizzly. This guy just won an extra catfight.” -Chat Noir said, as he extended his staff.

“Slow down, kitty-cat and teddy bear.” -Ladybug whispered at Chat Noir and Grizzly Bear. –“Use your heads for once, instead of just going head-on against this psycho.”

As he kept observing them, Hawk Moth decided to do something he never thought of doing before. During 5 millenniums, the powerful villain had made his mission to both rule the world and destroy the Miraculouses. But, this was the first time the miraculous holders were all teenagers, and teenagers can be easily manipulated, if things are done the right way. Quickly, he came up with a whole speech in his mind.

“And now, I address to you, the holders. You are new to this, so you don’t know as well as I do what’s going to happen next.” -Hawk Moth said. –“I’m going to do what I do best, and that is to create a new world where the strong prevail, and the weak either become strong or perish. And of course, you will all try to stop me as best as you can… but before you decide to attack me, let me ask you this. Why? Why fighting a fight that you can’t win? Even if you stop me, which I highly doubt, I’ll rise once more… it may take me another 100 years or a 1000, but I’ll come back and I’ll do this once more. But if you join me, with your powers and abilities, you can help me rebuild and reshape this world into a place that is worthy of those who should be the true owners of it.” -he went on. –“You’re probably wondering, why should you accept this offer I’m making you, am I right? I’ll tell you why… because you have power, and I know that deep inside of you, you have already asked yourselves what would you change in the world, if you had the power to change things. This is your opportunity. Use those same powers, and help me build a better world. It’s like they say, there is no good or evil. Just power and those who are too afraid to use it.”

Hearing those words, there was none of them who asked themselves, if Hawk Moth was right. The world itself was an unfair place, and yes, there were times when one would wish it had the power to change things and make them better. But, they knew from their History books that that’s how people like Hitler rose to power and then used that same power to make the atrocities that mankind now condemned. It did not take them more than a few seconds to see through the villain’s real intentions. He was trying to do what Al Pacino tried to do with Keanu Reeves’s character in The Devil’s Advocate, and just like in the movie, it was not going to work with them.     

“In your dreams!” -Panda Rouge exclaimed.

“No deal!” -Forest Doe told him.

“You think you can make us feel sympathy for you? Please, we’re teenagers, but that doesn’t mean we’re stupid.” -Flamingo told him.

“Yeah, the whole sympathy for the Devil trick? That’s older than my grandmother!” -Jade Turtle said.

“Is that your final answer? All of you?” -Hawk Moth asked them. He did not even try to hide the fact that he was not surprised they refused his offer. 

“You bet it is!” – Volpina said.

“I speak for us all, when I say that you won’t trick us into joining you! Master Fu has told us everything about you!” -Ladybug told him.

“Fu? You mean, the previous holder of the Turtle Miraculous? The previous Jade Turtle? He still lives?” -he asked her, intrigued. –“Well, then I guess he must have told you what I will do to your families, once you’re dead.”

“That’s not going to happen!” -Chat Noir exclaimed.

“Yeah, because we’re going to stop you, one way or another!” -Corbeau Noire shot at him.  

“Fine. Then, you’ll be killed. But I won’t be the one to finish you. You are not even worth my time… after all, you’re just a bunch of kids playing with the big boys.” -Hawk moth smiled evilly. –“Reptile, Madame Romani, help yourselves to them. Destroy them and bring me their miraculouses, so I can destroy them… Gargantua and I have a city to conquer, and a world to reshape.” -he said, as he turned around and started walking

“With pleasure, master.” -Madame Romani said.

“Not if we have anything to say about it!” -Ladybug exclaimed, as she used her yo-yo as a shield. –“Okay, guys, let’s…”

“Cowabunga!!!!” -Antelope exclaimed.

“After him!” -Queen Bee yelled enthusiastically!

“W-Wait!” -Ladybug said, as she saw most of the team go their separate ways, attacking everything and everyone in front of them. The only ones who stayed behind were Volpina, Chat Noir and Jade Turtle.

The ones who did not stay back with Ladybug, went ahead and tried to take out both Hawk Moth and Gargantua. But they could not even get close to either one of them, when Reptile and Madame Romani stood in front of them.   

“Don’t you run away from us, you freak!” -Grizzly Bear exclaimed.

“Get out of our way!” -Panda Rouge demanded.

“You’re not going anywhere!” -Reptile looked at them, as if they were a succulent appetizer.

“Says who, lizard breath?” –Antelope asked him.

“I say it!” -Reptile said, as he took off his switchblade from his jacket, and with a swift move, he sprung the blade out.  

“A knife? You’re going to attack us with a knife?” -Arachnid asked him. –“You do realize that you’re outnumbered and that our weapons are better than yours, right? Scientifically speaking, you can’t win.” -he told him, stating what seemed obvious.

“No…” -Reptile said, as he threw it against them, hitting the ground. But before they could react, Reptile charged against them with an incredible speed, slashing them with his claws. If not for their suits, they would be bleeding right then. –“… I don’t need a knife to get rid of you. My claws and my teeth are more than enough for me to do the job.”

Saying that, he opened his mouth like that of a snake, when it’s about to swallow its prey, and two rows of sharp teeth popped out. Smiling wickedly at them, Reptile looked more like a scale-skinned shark than a lizard right then.

“I’m going to enjoy this…” -he told them, as he prepared to strike again.

“Don’t count on it, chump!” –Grizzly Bear exclaimed, as he clenched his fists and using his brass knuckles, he executed his special attack, which was his own version of the Hulk’s main attack that consisted of him smashing his fists against the ground, creating an impact tremor, powerful enough to crack open the ground, while creating powerful electrical sparks, and it pretty much made anyone who was nearby fall. He called it Earth Shaking.

The attack did manage to knock down Reptile, but it also did the same for Arachnid, Panda Rouge and Antelope.    

“Watch it, Grizzly!” -Antelope told him.

“Yeah, gives a heads’ up next time!” -Arachnid said, as he quickly got back on his feet.

“Sorry, I…” -he said, when he was hit in the face and fell on his back.

“Eyes open, boy! Or else you’ll end up spitting teeth.” -Reptile mocked him, as he got ready to strike once again. –“Not that’ll make any difference, because you and your friends won’t see the end of this day.”

“I’m going to wipe that smile out of your face!” -Grizzly said, as he got up and readied himself for the next round. –“Guys, come on, let’s take him down together!”

Madame Romani, on the other hand, was enjoying playing with Queen Bee, Louve Grise, Flamingo, Forest Doe and Corbeau Noire. By creating several copies of herself, the girls did not know which one to attack. Still, that did not prevent them from using all their skills to take her out. Hawk Moth and Gargantua were the real targets there, not that psychedelic gypsy woman.

“If you think you’re the only one who can multiply, you’re wrong!” -Flamingo exclaimed, as she used her special ability to create several copies of herself. –“Now, let’s see if you can fight all of us at the same time!” -Flamingo and her copies spoke in chorus. –“Girls, go! I’ll handle her!”

“They’re not going anywhere… and neither are you, little girl…” -Madame Romani said, as her copies began fighting Flamingo’s own copies. Still, before engaging her in combat, she snapped her fingers and created shadowy figures that promptly attacked Corbeau Noire, Louve Grise, Forest Doe and Queen Bee. These creatures were slightly smaller than the girls were. Their bodies were pitch black; the only thing that was from another colour were their claws and mouth which were silver and their eyes, which were orange.

Unlike what she tended to show, Madame Romani did not need her magical abilities to fight. Truth was, she could handle herself quite well in hand-to-hand combat.

“Don’t call me little girl, you witch! The name’s Flamingo!” -she said, as she swung her cane against the gypsy woman.

“Soon it will be Roasted Flamingo, girly” -she said, as she conjured a ball of fire and threw it at every single Flamingo. If it were not for Corbeau Noire, who saw what was happening, used her power over the shadows to create a shadowy barrier between the real Flamingo and the ball of flames, she would’ve been roasted alive.

“Thanks!” -Flamingo thanked her.

“Anytime!” -Corbeau Noire winked at her.

“Lucky shot! But if you think I’ll let any of you get near my master or its creation, you’re terribly wrong!” -Madame Romani looked at them with a sadistic smile on her face.

“Oh yeah?! Go ahead, throw everything you’ve got at us!” -Louve Grise shot at her.

“As you wish!”

Moving her arms in the air, Madame Romani quickly created a circle of fire that surrounded them. These were so high that even the ones who had the ability to fly, did not risk using it, afraid of them. The flames looked real, and worst, felt real, with the air around them heating up. They did not know if the fire surrounding them was real, or if it was just another illusion.

“Allow me!” -Louve Grise said, as she inhaled deeply and then exhaled a powerful gust of icy wind that froze the flames, turning the tall fire into what one would call an icy wall that surrounded them.

“Nice trick.” -Forest Doe.

“Thanks. Just don’t call me Big Bad Wolf, okay?” -Louve Grise chuckled, trying to push her nervousness away.

Suddenly, the icy walls started to shatter, and if it was not for Queen Bee’s graceful use of her trompo to create a tornado to stop the shards to fall on them, the girls would have ended up in big trouble. Furious, Madame Romani stared at them with a furious look capable of melting an iceberg.

“You think you’re good, but I can promise you… when I’m through with you, you won’t be able to distinguish what’s reality and what’s a nightmare!!!!”     

* * *

Seeing their friends in trouble, Ladybug knew they were in trouble and that something had to be done. But what, was the question in her mind.  

“This is not going to work…” -Ladybug said. –“We need to coordinate this attack.”

“I’m with you, but I don’t think they are going to listen to you, right now.” -Chat Noir said. –“They’re too busy, trying to stay alive.”

“Look, let the others do what they’re doing right now. As for us, we split up, and try to take down both Hawk Moth and that monster.” -Jade Turtle said. –“Me and Volpina are going after that creature, and you two go after Hawk Moth.”

“Me and Chat?!” -Ladybug asked, a little shocked.

“Yeah, you two work well together.” –Jade Turtle asserted.

“I’m with him. You two make a great team, plus, you’re way faster than we are.” -Volpina agreed. –“Now, let’s go, there’s not a moment to lose!” -she said, as she and Jade Turtle got

“Then, shall we go, my lady?” -Chat smiled, as he extended his hand to her like a true gentleman.

“Save that for later, kitty-cat. We got ourselves a nasty psycho to catch.” -Ladybug winked at him.

* * *

Convinced that his two lieutenants could handle a group of teenagers, Hawk Moth teleported himself to the top of the Richelieu Pavilion and addressed his creation. Sensing his presence, the creature’s seven heads all turned to face its master. 

“Now, Gargantua… it is time for…” -Hawk Moth said, when he saw something appearing in front of his creation’s heads. It was a a green hexagonal-shaped defensive shield. Then, another appeared, and another. Soon the monster’s heads started to get enveloped by those things. He saw that it was Jade Turtle who was doing it, but he did not worry about it. With a simple voice command, he made Gargantua roar and all of the shields broke.

“Dang it!” -Jade Turtle said in frustration.

“Well, there goes your plan.” -Volpina said. Jade Turtle’s idea was to blind the beast with its shields, and then surround the rest of it, so it would not move from place. –“I told you, you should have started from the bottom, and then go up.”

“If I did that, that thing would see what I was doing and then… look out!”

Throwing himself into the right, Jade Turtle saved Volpina from being the lunch of one of the monster’s heads, who attacked them. Using his powers, he created a dome of shields around the two of them, as two more heads tried to eat them. Roaring, the heads began to smash themselves against the shields, hoping to break them and collect the delicious treat inside it, that were the two heroes.

“That thing is going to eat us!” -Volpina exclaimed, clearly scared by them. As the heads continued their attack, the only thing that kept popping in her head was the image of the Lex and Tim Hammond inside the car, while being attacked by the Tyrannosaurus Rex, in Jurassic Park.

“It won’t, trust me. I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you, okay?” -Jade Turtle looked her in the eyes.

“What are you waiting for? Stomp them!” -Hawk Moth commanded the creature, when he heard a buzzing from behind him. Turning around, he saw Ladybug throwing her yo-yo at him once more. Only this time, he moved to left and she missed. –“That trick won’t work twice with me, little girl.”

“Who said it was the same trick?!” -Ladybug shot at him. –“Now, Chat!”

Behind Hawk Moth, Chat Noir grabbed the yo-yo, and quickly pulled it towards him, catching Hawk Moth in the middle. Then, the two heroes pulled the yo-yo and made Hawk Moth lose his balance, dragging him with them, towards the ground. The three hit the ground with such strength that the floor around them cracked. The two heroes bounced back up in an instant, but Hawk Moth took a little longer. The way he looked at them, you could see that he was now annoyed.

“You’re going to regret doing that…” -the villain told them, as he dusted himself.

“Not as much as you, mister.” -Chat Noir said, as he prepared to use his power. The way it worked, he felt that such an attack deserved a cool name, so he baptized it, using one of his cat puns. –“Cataclysm!”

Attacking Hawk Moth, the villain proved to be too fast for the young hero. But, when Ladybug joined the fight, and it was two against one, Hawk Moth had to put an extra effort to avid their attacks. He was rusty, after all, he’d been a statue for more than 200 years, and although his magic was as powerful as it had been, his fighting skills were not as sharp as they had been. Still, he managed to give them a fair fight. Punch after punch, kick after kick, he knew that he would win that fight. In his mind, he knew that the teenagers, being young and undisciplined in the ways of fighting, would try to finish him as quickly as possible, and that’s where he planned to win… endurance. All he had to do was fight them, while waiting for the moment to counter strike them. And in the end, it paid off, when he managed to kick Ladybug in the stomach, sending her flying a couple of meters in the air. Seeing his partner getting hurt like that, Chat did not hesitate and stroke him directly on the face. But just as he was about to use Cataclysm on Hawk Moth, the villain used his cane to stop the feline’s attack. To his surprise, Hawk Moth’s cane did not crumble into dust, like when he used his special attack on anything. Smiling sadistically at him.

“Let me guess… Fu didn’t tell you that your attack doesn’t work on the weapons of other miraculous holders?” -he said, before kicking him away. Unlike what happened with Ladybug, Chat flew maybe 10 or 11 meters, going through the Louvre Pyramid, and falling downstairs, where hundreds of people had sought sanctuary.   

“Chat!” -Ladybug yelled, as she saw him go through the glass pyramid. Still, she knew that he would be alright; after all, cats tended to land on their feet, and he was no exception to the rule. She had to take down Hawk Moth, even if that meant doing it alone.

Hawk Moth kept staring at her with a mocking smile on his face, and that just made her even angrier than before.

“You’re going to tell that beast to stop trying to squash my friends, or I’ll make you!” -Ladybug told him with a chilling voice. Marinette herself hardly believed she could talk like that.

“You and what army?” -he mocked at her. –“You’re alone, little girl…”

“Not anymore, she isn’t!” -a voice was heard.

Flying a few feet above them was Queen Bee. Having managed to escape from the clutches of Madame Romani, she decided to attack Gargantua, when she saw that her companions needed help. Using her trompo, she quickly created a massive tornado, as tall as the monster. Her plan was to try and lift the monster into the air and carry it to a location where he could not destroy anything. The wind began to blow with such strength that stopped the battles between heroes and villains. All of them had to seek refuge from the scorching wind that was felt. Even Gargantua ceased the attack on Volpina and Jade Turtle, its heads trying not to hit one another due to the wind. This gave time for the two of them to get out of there. Making the shields disappear, the two of them started running as fast as their feet allowed them.

“What is she doing?” -Jade Turtle asked, as the tornado closed in on them.

“I don’t know, but something tells me that we’re not going to like it!” -Volpina exclaimed, as she and Jade Turtle ran as fast as they could, seeking a place to hide from the wind.   

The tornado was spinning like crazy, but it was still not powerful enough to lift the monster, so Queen Bee saw no other option but to increase its strength. Ordering the trompo to spin even faster, the yellow and black object at the centre of the tornado began to spin even faster.

“ _Still not powerful enough! I need to make it go faster!_ ” -she thought to herself.

Unfortunately, and without wanting it, Queen Bee ended up losing control of the tornado. With the wind blowing the way it was, she tried to command the trompo to stop spinning, but it was no use. The tornado was out of control, and began to ravage everything in its path. It quickly destroyed a part of the Denon Wing, throwing pieces of stone, glass and smashed pieces of art, all over the place, as it continued its path of destruction towards the Seine. Queen Bee tried her best to stop it, but it was no use. Dragonfly, seeing her in trouble, decided to help her out. The only way to make tornado stop was to invert it, and that meant to dive inside it and then start flying in the opposite direction as fast as one could. Signalling her, Queen Bee understood what she wanted to do, and before they could put the plan into march, Corbeau Noire and Flamingo joined them also. The four of them tried their best to stop the tornado before it reached the Seine, but the best they could do was stop it, after it jumped the river and was over Ile de la Cité.

“ _Oh, Queen Bee, what have you done?_ ” -Ladybug asked herself, as she looked at the trail of destruction caused by the tornado.

The destruction could have been worst, but right then, part of the Louvre was a disaster zone, and as for Gargantua, this one ended up with one of its feet inside the Louvre Pyramid, destroying it, while all three heads ended up knocked out from the hit. Luckily, no one got hurt, including Chat Noir, who had managed to get out of the way.

“ _Good thing I’ve got more than just one life…_ ” -Chat Noir told himself. He was not feeling any sort of pain from both the kick Hawk Moth had inflicted on him, or the nasty crash, but he knew it was just a matter of time before he started to feel it. He would be sore in the morning; still there was no time for that kind of thoughts. It would not take long for Hawk Moth to command Gargantua to do something else again, and he had to find a way to get out of there, where he was now the centre of attention, with everyone down there looking at him, and asking themselves who he was and what he was doing there.       

As he exited his hiding spot, Hawk Moth smiled wickedly as he contemplated the destruction caused by the tornado Queen Bee had created. A few moments later, both Reptile and Madame Romani joined him.

“Like I said… kids playing with the big boys.” -Hawk Moth said, with an amused voice.

“I’m afraid we couldn’t finish them, master.” -Reptile said. –“With the tornado and all…”

“It doesn’t matter… they can’t stop me, even if they want to.” -Hawk Moth told him, before turning himself to Gargantua. –“Rise, Gargantua! Rise!”

Hearing the villain, the monster regained conscience and quickly got up, taking his foot from where the Louvre Pyramid once stood. Roaring enraged, Hawk Moth knew it was time for the next stage of his plan.

“Now, my creation, do what you have been created for… spread them! Let them fly!!!”

Obeying, Gargantua stretched all of its necks and roared. Coming out from its mouths, thousands of black butterflies flew into the air… Akuma butterflies. That had been Hawk Moth’s plan form the beginning. Using that creature, he was able to grow an army of his black butterflies, which he was going to use to create an army of sentries he could use for his plans. Soon, they could cover all of Paris, and he would have his army.

“Crap… things were already bad, and now this… How are we going to stop this?!” -Ladybug asked herself, as she watched the black butterflies covering the sky.


	20. Taking the Bull by the Horns

The Akuma butterflies coming out of the mouths of Gargantua soon covered the sky like a thick black cloud, spreading everywhere. Like moths were attracted by the light, this kind of Akuma butterflies were attracted by human emotions, and as soon as they exited the mouth of Garguantua, they made their way to the nearest human they could find. Seeing them spread like that, made Hawk Moth, who was now standing on top of the Sully Pavilion, with Reptile and Madame Romani on his back, to smile. His army was about to come to life, and his cold, dark heart rejoiced, knowing that with that army, it would be a matter of days, before he became master of that world. The only ones who could stop him were the miraculous holders, and he did not even consider them a real threat. They had put up a little fight, but they were very inexperienced. By the time they would achieve, if they ever achieved, the skills needed to stop him, it would be too late for them to do anything.

“Fly, my pretties, fly! Find suitable hosts and create an army that is worthy of my name.” -Hawk Moth said, as he and his minions disappeared in a flash of light.  

On the ground, Ladybug and the rest of the Miraculous Team came out of their hiding spots and watched, as the monster kept spitting those dark butterflies, while making its way to the Jardin des Tuileries, as people continued to run for their lives, many dropping everything they were holding, just to get away from that monstrosity created by Hawk Moth.  

“This is bad…” -Ladybug said.

“Not bad, super bad…” -Chat Noir said, as he landed on his feet.

“Chat! You’re alright!” -Ladybug exclaimed, happy and relieved to see her friend and partner alive and well.

“Don’t worry about me, I’m a rough kitten.” -Chat smiled at her, as the others approached them. Flying above them, Corbeau Noire, Dragonfly, Flamingo and Queen Bee landed near them. You could see the look of frustration and sadness in Queen Bee’s eyes. The destruction around them was caused by her inability to control her powers, and she knew it. Still, no one said a word about it. They all silently felt that the fault was not only hers, and that they too were to blame for it.

“This looks like a disaster zone.” -Dragonfly declared, as she looked around. She blamed herself for not having been fast enough to stop the tornado.

“Forget about that right now. We’ve got bigger problems, look!” -Volpina said.

The akuma butterflies began to descend, looking for people to infect. On the other side of the river, a bunch of people had decided to stick around and see what was going on, while taking photos. The curiosity inside them got the best of their good-sense, and as such, not even the fact of having a monstrous creature like Gargantua so close to them, who could attack them at any given time, had stopped them from sticking around there. As the butterflies approached them, the first ones that they touched were immediately enveloped by a cloud of thick black and purple smoke, which transformed them into something else. As the smoke disappeared, it revealed that each person become a creature that could be described as wearing a black and purple full-body with spikes over their shoulders, elbows, knees and wrists. On their heads, they wore something similar to black bike helmets with a purple moth on the visor.

People seeing this, quickly began to run, trying to escape the butterflies. Unfortunately, the winged fiends proved to be faster than them. Those who happened to trip in the confusion that was going on, were immediately caught by the butterflies. But, some of them were given another chance to run away, when the Akuma butterflies that were about to get them were pierced by one of Forest Doe’s arrows. Still, the Akuma butterflies were too many for her to get all of them, even if she wanted to. In a matter of seconds, there were dozens, if not hundreds of people turned into mindless scouts by the butterflies, and the kids knew that it would only get worse, if they did not do something to stop it.

“At this rate, we’ll never be able to stop those creatures.” -Flamingo said.

“If my calculations are correct, bearing the amount of people in this town, with an almost infinite amount of Akuma butterflies being spit by that creature, the odds of us even be able to destroy all of them, one by one, are… well… they’re just so low that I think I would need to use negative numbers to tell you the exact odds.” -Arachnid stated.  

“That doesn’t really matter. Remember what Master Fu told us about those butterflies?” -Ladybug asked her friends.

_(Flashback)_

_Everyone was starting to get used to their new-found powers and abilities. It took them a little while for them to fully understand how to use them, but they were making progress, and that_

_“You’re doing quite well, all of you.” -Master Fu said._

_“Thank you, sensei.” –Antelope said, when he was hit on the back of the neck. –“Ouch!”_

_“He’s not Master Splinter, bonehead!” -Dragonfly told him._

_“I know, but he doesn’t mind us saying these things, do you, Master Fu?” -Antelope asked the old man._

_“Not at all.” -he said with an amused voice. –“But as I was saying, you all are doing quite well, and I think that it’s time for me to teach you something, which will not only be important, it will also be fundamental, if not vital in your fight against Hawk Moth.”_

_“And what is it, Master Fu?” -Louve Grise asked._

_“You best take a seat, because what I have to tell you is going to take a while.” -Master Fu smiled._

_Doing as he suggested, they all sat in a half-circle, with their legs crossed, and waited for Master Fu to start talking. Every time he told them to do this, they knew that what he wanted to tell them was very important, so they listened attentively._

_“You have been learning to use your powers, and I have told you that you will need them to fight against Hawk Moth and his creations. But, I haven’t told you how you are supposed to defeat them.”_

_“What do you mean, master?” -Forest Doe asked._

_“I thought that we would just need to beat the crud out of them.” -Grizzly Bear declared._

_“Not exactly.” -he smiled. –“Let me show you something.” -he said, as he clapped his hands, and a small black butterfly appeared out of nowhere._

_“A butterfly?” -Ladybug asked._

_“Not just a regular butterfly, an Akuma butterfly.” -Master Fu said. –“These butterflies are created by Hawk Moth, and they are infused with evil. They are his way to create those who follow his orders.”_

_“Say what?” -Grizzly Bear asked, not having understood what the old master was talking about._

_“He means that those things are used by Hawk Moth to create his followers.” -Arachnid told him._

_“Precisely, Arachnid.” -Master Fu said. –“These butterflies are infused with evil, and they attach themselves to the hearts of those Hawk Moth deem worthy of becoming his most trusted followers, or simply villains that he can control at will. But they can also be used to create monsters and enemies, by latching themselves to an object that has been used by someone who was carrying temporary or permanent dark emotions in its heart… those feelings are imprinted on the objects, and stay attached to them permanently, like a fingerprint.”_

_“But, they can be destroyed, right?” -Ladybug asked._

_“Indeed, they can. And that’s where your weapons come in. To destroy these butterflies, you must do this. First, you must battle the enemy or creature. In case it’s a human possessed by an Akuma butterfly, you need to exhaust him or her, before proceeding to the next phase, which is to use your weapons to extract the Akuma butterfly inside it, and destroy it right after. If it’s a creature or monster created from an object, then, in that case, you will have to beat it into submission and find a way to destroy its body; only then will the Akuma butterfly appear and you can destroy it.”_

_“But, how will we distinguish an enemy that is a human, from an enemy that was created from an object?” -Volpina asked. –“I’m asking this because, we don’t want to hurt someone who’s still human, by mistaking it with one that is actually just a cursed object, master.”_

_“That is an excellent question, my dear. Those that are human usually behave like humans and tend to speak a lot, stating that they have a grudge against someone or something and that no one will stop them, while those that are created from an object are usually mindless beasts, and assume forms that aren’t human-like, preferring to assume an animal-like form; not to mention that most of the times, they won’t even talk, they will either growl, howl, snarl or something similar, like a wild animal.” -Master Fu answered her._

_“I see…” -Jade Turtle said._

_“Oh, one important thing. Some of the people that have been akumatized, as well as the creatures created from an akumatized object, they have the ability to create their own Akuma butterflies, but these are different from the ones that originated them. These create scouts or minions that will do their bidding or Hawk Moth’s bidding.” -Master Fu explained to them._

_“So, then, if that happens, instead of just one, we’ll have to destroy maybe dozens or hundreds or even thousands?” -Flamingo asked._

_“No, you won’t, trust me.” -the old man said. –“You see, these particular Akuma butterflies are linked to the one that infected either the akumatized person or object. If you destroy the one that started all, the others will simply disappear, and those who were under their influence, will return to normal.”_

_“So, how do we extract those butterflies using our weapons? What’s the trick?” -Panda Rouge asked him._

_“The trick is quite simple. You’ll have to say the following words: Time to relinquish you from evil.” -Master Fu declared. –“When you say that, your weapons will start to glow and you will be able to use it to snag, pull or even go through the victim’s body to grab it, and then destroy it.”_

_“You mean, our weapons can phase through the bad guy’s body without hurting it? Just like it happens when Kitty pride from the X-Men uses her powers?” -Jade Turtle asked, making the others look at him as if he had said something he would usually not say. –“What? I like comic books, okay? Music may be my passion, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have other hobbies.”_

_This earned a couple of laughs from everyone, including Master Fu._

_“Answering your question, yes, just like her.” –the old man said. –“Once that is done and the Akuma butterfly is destroyed, the victim will return to normal, with little or no remembrance of what happened.”_

_“And can’t we do the same with the creatures? I mean, if we take out the Akuma butterfly, they will just cease to exist, right?” -Chat Noir asked him._

_“I’m afraid not. You see, even if the Akuma butterfly inside them is destroyed, their body is purely made out of evil, and even without it, it can still exist.” -Master Fu said. –“That is why you need to destroy its body first.”_

_“You said that this psycho also uses these butterflies on those he deems as his most trusted followers. They would be his lieutenants, right? Can we use this attack to also return them to normal?” -Dragonfly asked._

_“I’m afraid not. Those are bounded to Hawk Moth. The only way those will ever become human again is if Hawk Moth decides to release them, or if he is destroyed.” -Master Fu told him._

_“Well, at least those we won’t have to worry about hurting them.” -Queen Bee said._

_“And, anyone of us can use that ability, or just some of us?” -Ladybug asked._

_“No, all of you can. Of course, it will be easier for some of you, depending on what kind of enemy you will face.”_

_“Is there any way we can practice it?” -Corbeau Noire asked. –“I mean, how are we supposed to know how to use this ability, if we don’t practice it?”_

_“She’s right.” -Forest Doe agreed._

_“Astute as always, my dear. And, as always, you’re absolutely right. You do need to practice it.” -Master Fu said. –“That’s why, you’re going to practice with this. –he said, clapping his hands once more, a strange creature, similar to a minotaur appeared, and next to it was a person with purple and green skin. –“These two dummies will help you achieve that. Inside each one is a butterfly; don’t worry, they aren’t Akuma butterflies, though they might look like them. You must take them out and destroy them. Now, who wants to go first?”_

(End of flashback)

“Yeah, I remember.” -Antelope said, as he remembered about the talk.

“So, we can’t lose time trying to destroy every single one of those butterflies. All we have to do is destroy the one that it’s inside that giant monster, and then everyone will return to normal.” –Ladybug reminded him.

“Still, we can’t let them all run wild. People will get hurt, not to mention that they’ll destroy everything they find in their way.” -Queen Bee said. –“We already have enough damages thanks to what I did.”

“Hey, nobody’s blaming you.” -Louve Grise said.

“She’s right. We’ll worry about that later. Right now, we’ve got a city to save and a monster to clobber!” -Antelope exclaimed.

“But we can’t go all out on it, without having a plan.” -Ladybug said. –“You all saw what happened when we all tried to go after the same thing. We need to prioritize things.”

“That’s easy!” -Antelope said.

“It’s easier said than done, that’s what you mean.” -Chat Noir told him. –“Look, if we don’t have a plan and continue doing things like we’re doing now, well, I don’t have to tell you what will happen… you just need to take a look around.”

“He’s got a point.” -Jade Turtle said.

“Look, the plan is simple. Half of us will take care of that monstrosity, while the other half takes care of those creeps, stopping them from hurting people or destroying anything else, while also escorting them to a safe location.” -Volpina said.

“But we need to choose which ones will be better for each job. For example, against that thing over there, were going to need brute force to take it down, but we’re also going to need cunningness.” -Ladybug said. –“While taking care of the scouts, we’re going to need speed and agility to keep them away from people, while taking down as many akuma butterflies as possible.”

Following Ladybug’s line of thought, they quickly organized themselves and decided who would do what. Dragonfly and Queen Bee were tasked with taking down as many of those Akuma butterflies from the skies, using their attacks. Volpina, Jade Turtle, Flamingo and Corbeau Noire were tasked with using their powers to protect and guide the denizens in danger to a safe location.

The rest of the team went up against Gargantua, who was slowly making its way through the Jardin the Tuileries, heading to Place de la Concorde. At the same time, Hawk Moth, Reptile and Madame Romani all watched what was happening from the top of the Basilique Sainte-Clotilde.

“Do they really believe they can stop Gargantua?” -Reptile asked out loud.

“While also trying to save those people? They’re just delaying the inevitable.” -Madame Romani laughed wickedly.

“Yes. It is inevitable; there was never any doubts about that.” -Hawk Moth said.

“Do you wish us to go back into battle and destroy them, master?” -Reptile asked the villain, hoping he would order him that.

“No, there’s no need… my new troops, as well as Gargantua will make sure that those teenagers won’t live to see the end of this day.” -Hawk Moth told him.

* * *

Up in the sky, Queen Bee and Dragonfly did their best way to get rid of the Akuma butterflies that kept coming out of the mouths of Gargantua. Still, no matter how many they destroyed using their frisbee and trompo, they just kept coming.

“There has to be another way for us to get rid of them faster!” -Queen Bee said.

“And I think I know how!” -Dragonfly told her. –“Do you think you can create a tornado powerful enough to suck them in?”

“A tornado?!” -Queen Bee exclaimed.  After what her last tornado had done to the Louvre, she was a little reticent of using that ability again.

“Yes! If you use one of your tornados to suck them all in and then rise it to a altitude above the clouds, I can use my super speed to concoct a sonic boom that will shatter both it and the butterflies in it.” -Dragonfly explained her.  –“Think you can do it?”

“I can try!” -Queen Bee told her. –“But do you think you can pull a stunt like that one?! You never attempted to go that fast!” -she pointed out.

“I don’t know, but I have to try it! We can’t let them turn more innocent people into scouts that will do Hawk Moth’s bidding!”   

“Okay. Just don’t get hurt!” -Queen Bee told her. She was really worried about what would happen if that stunt went badly.

“Alright, I’ll try. And remember, I’m counting on you!” -Dragonfly waved at her.

Flying upwards, Queen Bee went through the cloud of Akuma butterflies, with the intention of positioning herself above it. As she went through it, she shivered, as her body brushed against them, feeling the evil inside the butterflies. Emerging from the middle of them, she stopped just a few meters above them. Focusing, she used her trompo to create a tornado. Starting it small, she concentrated on making it bigger and bigger, but always paying attention to the wind strength. She did not want to lose control of it, like it happened earlier. As the tornado grew, so did the wind’s velocity inside it. Soon, it started to suck the evil butterflies. Dozen, or even hundreds of thousands were sucked into it, until this one was the same colour as the butterflies. When she felt that the tornado could not hold any more of those evil black creatures, she focused and tipped it, until this stood on the horizontal. Then, she made it rise as high as she could, while always looking behind her shoulder, to see if Dragonfly was approaching.

As for Dragonfly, she believed that crazy plan of her was going to work. But, to work, it was fundamental that both she and Queen Bee were in tune with each other. She believed that the blonde was going to uphold her part of the plan; but herself, she was not so sure. She acted quite bravely in front of Queen Bee, but the truth was that she was afraid she did not have what it was needed to create a sonic boom. Still, that did not prevent her from pushing herself to the limit.

“ _Come on! You can do this!_ ” -Dragonfly thought to herself, as she began to descend, ir order to gain more speed. –“ _But what if I can’t?! What if I screw up?!_ ” -she asked herself. She was having second doubts about herself. But then, it hit her. –“ _Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking of backing up! If you do that, Kim will never let you hear the end of it, and you know that he’s always saying that he’s the fastest in the class! Now, show him that you’re the fastest and let’s do this! One sonic boom, coming up!!!!_ ”

Descending as fast as she could, she targeted the Eiffel Tower, with the intent of circling it three times, before shooting herself upwards. Circling the iron tower, she gained speed, but knew that it was not enough. A sonic boom can only be accomplished if a jet reaches a speed of approximately 1225 km/h, and her body could feel that she was nowhere near it. Taking a deep breath, she decided to circle the Eiffel tower twice more, and then shot herself through the Champ de Mars, before heading upwards. Doing it so, she gained the necessary speed for the crazy stunt she was about to do. Targeting the tornado created by Queen Bee, she closed her eyes and pushed herself once more, and as she hit it, the shockwave blew it up, reducing the Akuma butterflies to nothing. Unfortunately, it also sent Queen Bee flying away. If it was not for her superb flying ability, she would have ended up on the ground due to the shockwave. When Dragonfly reached her, she was both hyperventilating, not believing she had done a sonic boom that destroyed both the tornado and all the butterflies in it. As a bonus, the shockwave had also destroyed some of the other butterflies that the tornado did not get.

“Whoa! That… was… amazing!” -Dragonfly said, as she grasped for air. –“Are… you… okay?”

“A little dizzy, but I’ll be fine.” -Queen Bee told her, as she regained her balance. –“You did quite the damage on those things. Now if we could only get rid of the rest.”

“I don’t think I can… pull out… another stunt like that this soon…” -Dragonfly admitted. That sonic boom had drained her quite a bit.        

“Then, will just have to find another way.” -Queen Bee said, as she readied her trompo to create another tornado. –“If we can’t destroy them, then at least we can try to blow them away into the stratosphere, so they’ll take more time to get to the ground.”

Seeing both Queen Bee and Dragonfly working to get rid of his precious Akuma butterflies, Hawk Moth smiled wickedly.

“Impressive… but absolutely futile.” –Hawk Moth said, as he saw what the two flying heroes had accomplished. –“They can destroy as many as they can, but it won’t matter. Gargantua will keep spitting them out of his mouths.” -he smiled. –“Still… maybe it’s time for me to make use of my new army and make matter interesting. If they really want to try and stop me, let them try. I’ll use their bones to make me a throne.”

* * *

It sounded like a simple task when they agreed to it; making sure that people went somewhere safe, where the Akuma butterflies could not get them and turn them into mindless scouts for Hawk Moth to control as he pleased. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. Up in the air, Queen Bee and Dragonfly had managed to clear a lot of Akuma butterflies, but the ones that were already at ground level, were giving Jade Turtle, Volpina, Corbeau Noire and Flamingo a run for their money. Decided to help the people, the four of them agreed that it was best for them to help the people run to a safe place, instead of fighting off the Akuma butterflies. While Flamingo and Corbeau Noire kept Hawk moth’s scouts at bay, Volpina used her powers to create illusions that would either confuse the monstrous scouts or send them on a wild goose chase. This gave Jade Turtle time to rise temporary shields in the middle of the street. These gave the people enough time to get away.

“Keep them coming!” -Volpina said, as she made another set of walls appear in the middle of the street. –“These guys are starting to see through my tricks… I’ll go and see if I can, maybe send them some place where there aren’t any people.” -she told him, as she moved further away from her partner.   

“Alright!” -Jade Turtle said. –“I’ll try and see if I can find a place where I can lead as many people as I can to safety, an underground station or something!”  

As they tried to keep them at bay, Hawk Moth sent a telepathic message to his scouts.

“ _This is Hawk Moth speaking. I am your master, and I command you to destroy those infernal brats! Use whatever method you want, but kill them. Bring me their heads!_ ”

Obeying their master’s orders, every single scout attacked the four heroes. But, that did not stop them from continuing their mission. Flamingo and Corbaeu Noire signalled both Volpina and Jade Turtle to keep their positions, while the two of them engaged Hawk Moth’s scouts. Using their powers, Flamingo multiplied herself several times, until there were at least 30 of her, while Corbeau Noire used her powers to control the shadows that were being cast by the scouts, as well as the objects surrounding her to fight them back They both knew that they were still human, so they did their best to immobilize them, while trying not to hurt them. But the worst part was that with each second it went by, there were more of them.

“Oh no, you don’t!” -one of Flamingo’s copies exclaimed, as she swung her cane against one of the black scouts, hitting him on the head. –“Be careful! There are more  of them coming this way!” -she said to another copy, who was busy taking down two scouts.

“Got it!” -the copy answered her back.

As for the original one, she decided to lend a hand, or in her case, a wing to Corbeau Noire, who, through the use of the shadows, managed to create something resembling a cage to hold them off. It had been an ingenious idea, but unfortunately it was not big enough to hold every single one of them.

“Can’t you create another one?” -Flamingo asked, as she smacked another scout in the face.

“Not without losing control over this one.” -Corbeau Noire said, as she repelled another one of the scout, by shooting a ray-beam from her hand-mirror. Master Fu had told her that when she was able to fully dominate her powers, she would be able to use the shadows to do whatever she wanted them to do, without any limitations. Unfortunately, she was still a long way from reaching that level of proficiency. –“And these guys just keep coming!”

“I know, but we got to give Volpina and Jade Turtle enough time to do their work!” -Flamingo said, as she punched another scout, and then grabbed him, tossing it into the shadow cage created by her friend. –“Look out!”

A scout appeared out of nowhere and attacked them. But, Flamingo’s speedy reflexes knocked him down, with a well-placed uppercut on his jaw. Still, he bounced back and attacked her. Seeing this, Corbeau Noire jumped in to save her. But in doing so, she lost concentration and the shadow cage dissipated, releasing all of the minions, who took no time at all to jump on them. Seeing no other way, Corbeau Noire took to the air, so she could have a better view of the situation, when she saw two things. Flamingo was being held by those creeps, and though she tried her best to get rid of them, she clearly needed some help; and the second, was a little girl who had tripped and was now crying on the middle of the street, who was about to be hurt by one of the scouts that had escaped from the shadow cage.

“Oh, no!” -she said. –“ _I’ve got to help that little girl! But I can’t let Flamingo on her own… I know!_ ” -she thought to herself.

Noticing Volpina was a little closer to the little girl, than she was, she used her hand mirror, and targeted the scout that was about to hurt her, stunning him. Then, she yelled at her friend for assistance.

“Volpina! The little girl!” -she pointed out.        

“Don’t worry! I’ll save her!” -Volpina told her, as she ran towards the little girl.

Arriving on the nick of time, she kicked the scout in the chest with an inside crescent kick, putting him out of commission, and thus, saving the little girl. Kneeling in front of her, she gently grabbed her by the shoulders.   

“Are you okay?” -Volpina asked her.

“Y-Yeah…” -the little girl kept trembling, as thick tears rolled down from her eyes. Volpina noticed that she had a crapped knee.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to help you, okay?” -Volpina said, trying to calm down the little girl, who was shivering like a leaf. The more she looked at her, the more it reminded her of their younger sisters. –“My name’s Volpina. What’s your yours, sweetie?” -she asked her, with a smile on her face.

“Madeleine…” –the little girl answered.

“Now, don’t cry, I won’t let these things hurt you.” -Volpina told her. –“Tell me, where are your parents?”

“T-They both t-turned into… o-one of those things…” -she pointed out to the scout that Volpina had just knocked out, and was now lying on the floor.

Hearing her say that, Volpina understood that the little girl was lost and had nowhere to go. Still, she could not keep her around. Knowing that Jade Turtle was leading people down a nearby underground station, she decided that it was best to take her there. At least there, she would be safe, and when the others had managed to defeat Gargantua, her parents would return to normal, and she could be with them.

“Look, Madeleine, I know you’re afraid, but you’re going to have to trust me, when I tell you that my friends and I are going to fix all of this.” -Volpina smiled to her. –“But, in order to do that, I can’t have you stay here. You might get hurt. So, I’m going to take you somewhere, where you’ll be safe, okay?”

“O-Okay.” -Madeleine waved her head.

“Alright. Now, wipe those tears, and get on my back.” -Volpina told her, as the little girl did what she was told. –“Hold on tight, sweetie. This is going to be a bumpy ride.” -she said, as she looked over her shoulder and saw that Corbeau Noire had managed to help Flamingo to get rid of the enemies that were holding her down on the ground, and was now forming more copies of herself, to help them out, as she and Corbeau Noire focused on taking down as many enemies as possible.

Running down the street, Volpina tried to avoid any scout there was in her way. Jumping on some parked cars, she made use of her levitation powers to get to the buildings’ rooftops. She knew Jade Turtle was near, but because she spent so much time misleading scouts and telling people to run out of there, while also destroying as many Akuma butterflies as she could, she did not know where he was exactly. Luckily, she just had to follow the screams of a panicking crowd, as it descended the steps into an underground station. At the front of the entrance, Jade Turtle was using his tonfas to repel any scout that appeared, while also creating some shields to stop them from attacking any person that approached the underground station.  

“This way! Hurry, this way!” -Jade Turtle kept yelling at people, who entered the underground station.

When Volpina landed in front of him, he was surprised to see her with a little girl with her arms around her shoulders. Creating another shield behind them, he asked:  

“Who’s the little kid?”

“She’s Madeleine, her parents turned into those things.” -Volpina answered.

“That’s harsh. Is she alright?”

“Physically, I think so; I mean, she has a scrapped knee, but other than that she’s alright. Emotionally, she’s super scared. She lost her parents, she’s alone…” -Volpina told him. –“We need to find someone whom she can stay with.”

“I got just the person for the job.” -Jade Turtle smiled at her. –“Officer! Could you come up here? It’s urgent.”

A few seconds later, a female police officer appeared. She was a young man, with black raven hair, blue eyes and she appeared to have just got out of the academy. Smiling towards the turtle hero, she said:

“Though about my proposal?” -she asked Jade Turtle.

“Yes, and the answer is still no. You can do a lot more downstairs.” -he told her.

“But…”

“Look. I know you’re just trying to do your job, but trust me when I tell you that my partner and I, along with the rest of our team, are the only ones who can stop this. You don’t have to worry, we’ve got this under control. You can do a lot more than we do, down there, making sure that no one gets hurt while inside.” -Jade Turtle said. –“But before you do, could you take this little girl with you?”

“Her parents turned into those creatures…” -Volpina said, when she grabbed her flute and swung it in the air, destroying a few Akuma butterflies that were approaching them. –“… Like I was saying, she needs someone to take care of, until this is over.”

“Sure, I’ll do it.” -she said, without hesitating.

“Okay, Madeleine, you go with the lady officer. She will take care of you, until we find a way to defeat that monster and bring your parents back, understood?” -Volpina asked her with a warm and caring voice, always looking her in the eyes.

“Y-You promise?” -she asked Volpina.

“I promise.” -Volpina smiled, as she handed Madeleine to the police officer.  

“One last thing, is the station full?” -Jade Turtle asked her.

“Almost, why?”

“Because I’m going to seal the entrance with one of my shields. You’ll be alright until the danger ends. The Akuma butterflies and the scouts can’t penetrate them.” -Jade Turtle told her.

“Alright, I will.” -she said. –“Just be careful, okay?” -she told him, as she went down the stairs with Madeleine in her arms.

Using his tonfas, Jade Turtle created a giant shield, which acted like a dome, sealing the entrance to the underground station.

“You think we stand a chance against all of this?” -Volpina asked him.

“I think that… look out!” -Jade Turtle exclaimed, as he clubbed a pair of scouts that had jumped over the barriers he had placed earlier. As soon as he was sure they were unconscious, he turned his attention back to Volpina. –“As I was saying. I think that, as long as we stick together, and believe that we have a fighting chance, you can bet that we stand a chance against anything they can throw at us.”

Inspired by those words, Volpina approached Jade Turtle and planted a kiss on his lips.

“What was that for?” -he asked, with a smile on his face.

“For being so optimistic, and for being the greatest boyfriend a girl like me could ask for.” -she told him, with a naughty smile on her face.  

* * *

Gargantua had just reached the Place de la Concorde, as Ladybug and the rest of the team that had followed her, tried their best to stop it. As they fought it, more police cars appeared, among them the vans carrying the SWAT teams. The Mayor had managed to find a place to hide, in a café, along with Lt. Raincomprix, and called them, demanding that every single police officer was to attack Gargantua, while securing the safety of the citizens of Paris.

Their original destination was Le Grand Paris, but with the number of scouts being created by the Akuma butterflies rising as the minutes went by, the police lieutenant decided that it was best for them to seek refuge in a nearby café. Once inside, and seeing the place overrun with scared citizens that had also sought refuge in it, Lt. Raincomprix ordered a few men to barricade the doors and lower the blinds, to not attract the attention of both Hawk Moth’s scouts and Akuma butterflies.

“Alright now, everyone, remain quiet.” -Lt. Raincomprix told everyone in the café. –“If we keep silent, they won’t know we’re here.”

While he tried to calm everyone down, Mayor Bourgeois was busy, calling his daughter. He wanted to make sure she was alright. Hearing her voice would make him feel more relaxed, knowing she was safe. Unfortunately, his call went directly to her cell’s voice mail.

“ _I just hope Chloé is alright._ ” -he thought to himself. 

As for Ladybug, she did her best to direct her companions in that attack, while she herself did her best to take down as many scouts as she could. On more than one occasion, she was forced to stop her attack on Gargantua, to save an innocent person that had not been able to run from Gargantua or Hawk Moth’s scouts.

“Don’t worry, miss. I’ve got you.” -the scarlet heroine said, as she grabbed a young woman and used her yo-yo to swing out of there.  

On the other side of the square, Arachnid was using his lasso to create a giant spider-web, with which he planned to capture as many of Hawk Moth’s scouts as he could. The less of those there were, the more time they could focus on Garguantua itself. To help him, he had the assistance of Antelope, who was keeping the creatures at bay, by swinging his bat at them.

“You better hurry up!” -Antelope exclaimed.

“Going in as fast as I can.” -Arachnid told him, as he kept building the web. –“Don’t tell me you’re starting to get tired.”

“Me, tired? Yeah, right.” -Antelope chuckled. –“I’m not getting tired. I’m getting bored of using these guys to practice my aim!” -he kept swinging his bat at one of Hawk Moth’s scouts, who jumped from behind a parked car, and tried to attack him.

“Well, then don’t close your eyes for a second. I just need a couple more minutes to finish this giant web, and then, we’re going to catch these guys the same way you fish fishes in a barrel.” -Arachnid told him.    

The police, they were astounded to see a ground of kids dressed up as if it was Halloween, fighting those things. At first, they thought they too were enemies, but when they saw them attacking the creatures and saving innocent people, they all understood they were there to help. They did not know who they were, but they knew they were there to fight against those creatures, and that was all they needed to know. Firing at the enormous creature, they all saw their bullets being absorbed by it, just like it had happened with their fellow colleagues in the Louvre.  

Feeling endangered, Gargantua stopped spewing Akuma butterflies and began attacking both the police and the members of the Miraculous team. Snapping its jaws against them, he tried to eat them, as he stomped on one of the square’s famous fountains, reducing it to rubble.

“ _I’ll teach you some manners, ugly._ ” -Forest Doe thought to herself, as she prepared to fire her bow. She had placed herself on top of one of the buildings surrounding the square on the north, and was acting like the team’s sniper. Feeling the wind blowing on her face, she pointed her bow and shot four arrows at once, targeting the eyes of two of Gargantua’s heads. Because they kept moving, Doe missed one of the heads, but she stroke both eyes of the other. –“Bullseye!” -she exclaimed.

She figured that with one of the heads blind, Gargantua would be easier to deal with. Unfortunately, the monster became even more aggressive and went on a rampage. Seeing what she had done, Forest Doe cursed herself.

“What have I done?” -she asked herself.

Swinging its other heads around, Gargantua knocked down the Luxor Obelisk, which snapped into several smaller pieces. One of the pieces almost crushed several police officers that were using the base of obelisk as cover against the creature. If not for Grizzly Bear, who arrived on time to avoid the worst, by holding the enormous piece of rock above their heads, they would have ended up pressed.

“A-Are you alright?” -Grizzly Bear asked, as he held the rock above his head.

“Y-Yeah…” -one of the officers said, still in shock.

“Go on, get out of here. I’ll handle this.” -Grizzly Bear said, as he used most of his strength to keep that piece of the obelisk from crushing them.

Once the officers were safe, Grizzly threw the piece of the obelisk to the side, and looked up to see one of Gargantua’s heads looking directly at him. Looking him directly on the eyes, it opened its mouth and tried to swallow him whole.  

“Not today, buster!” -he exclaimed, as he launched himself against the head. Punching it as hard as he could, the flinched back and the creature roared in pain. Still, as he was about to celebrate the hit, one of the other heads lounged itself at him, opening its mouth, ready to bite him into two. Luckily, Forest Doe saw it coming and shot one of her arrows against the head’s eyes, blinding it, and giving Grizzly enough time to strike a powerful punch into it. Not wanting to push his luck, he quickly ran away, as Chat Noir and Ladybug used a combined attack to strike the creature’s body. Gargantua had stopped spitting Akuma butterflies, but it had become more unpredictable and dangerous. As he placed a secure distance between him and Gargantua, Louve Grise showed up. She had been busy creating icy barriers around the square, to keep both people from entering it, as well as Hawk Moth’s scouts, who kept trying to enter it to kill the heroes. 

“You got to be more careful!” -Louve Grise told him.

“I know… luckily, I’ve got a guardian angel watching over me.” -Grizzly Bear said, as he looked to where Forest Doe was and winked at her. Seeing this, she smiled back at him.

Even with the help from the police, Gargantua was still one touch cookie to crack. Ladybug and her friends tried every kind of attack against the creature, and though they managed to hurt it, the damage they made in it was little, and Gargantua would simply regenerate, and they would go back to square one. To make matter worse, scouts continued to show up, and that made things harder for them to deal with.   

But, Panda Rouge had an idea, that could work. Remembering both the fact that Gargantua was made out of ink, and what Master Fu told them about them having to destroy the body of creatures and monsters that were not human, in order to get the original Akuma butterfly out into the open to be destroyed. Using his magic pencil, he designed a bomb inside a small rocket that would pierce Gargantua’s skin, and lodge itself inside it. Once the creature blew up, the Akuma butterfly would emerge and they could destroy it. Part of his plan involved a little favour from Louve Gris and her ice powers. He told her that he needed the whole square to be frozen solid, with Gargantua’s feet stuck to the floor, so it would not move.

The others were not very confident on the idea, especially Chat Noir, who told him that that idea of his could be dangerous. Still, the others felt it was a good idea, especially since he told them that the bomb inside the rocket was only powerful enough to pop the monster like a balloon, and nothing else. Helping him out, Louve Grise froze the whole square, while the others warned the police officers to get out of the square. These, of course did not like the idea of being told what to do by a bunch of kids. But when they saw Louve Grise freezing the place with her ice powers, they decided to back away.

“Get ready to be blown into smithereens, ugly monster.” -Panda Rouge said, as he finished the drawing. Pushing the big red button on the rocket, this one took off with an amazing speed, hitting its target.

A few seconds went by, when Gargantua began to slowly swallow like a balloon. And then, it popped. The explosion blew up Gargantua and pieces of him splattered the whole square, as well as the buildings and trees near it. Where the creature was a few seconds before, was now crater, filled with its inky remains, surrounded by ice. The stench of burnt ink was in the air, as the people celebrated the monster’s defeat. But, there was no sign of Akuma butterfly. An explosion that big should have destroyed Gargantua’s body and thus, release the black butterfly… at least that’s what Panda Rouge and the others thought.

“Where’s the Akuma butterfly?!” -Ladybug asked. –“Does anyone see it?”

“No.” -Arachnid said.

“I don’t see it.” -Chat Noir said.

“Neither do I.” -Louve Grise said.     

“Oh, God! Look!!!” -Forest Doe exclaimed.


	21. The Battle Continues

Place de la Concorde, Paris’ largest square was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel in 1755 as a moat-skirted octagon between the Champs-Elysées to the west and the Tuileries Garden to the east. Decorated with statues and fountains, the area was named Place Louis XV to honour the king at that time. Over the course of the years, its name changed, first Place de la Révolution, then Place de la Concorde, Place Louis XV once again, Place Louis XVI, and finally, for the second time, Place de la Concorde, the name that still held until this day. It was the stage to some of France’s most important historical events, like the execution of King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, Antoine Lavoisier and Maximilien Robespierre. And on that particular day, it was part of the stage of the Miraculous Team’s first battle against Hawk Moth and his forces of evil. Panda Rouge had just blown Gargantua into smithereens, thanks to the explosive he had drawn with his magic pencil. Unfortunately, the explosion proved to be futile.

Just like it happened with the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, the pieces that made up the monstrous creature’s body began to crawl back into the crater where Gargantua stood a few seconds before. And before everyone’s eyes, it began to regenerate. At first, it looked like a disgusting blob made out of dark ink, with a disgusting mouth that went on roaring like a caged animal. But as more and more bits of it were assimilated, it started to assume a more complex form. In a matter of minutes, Gargantua was whole again, but its appearance had changed quite a bit. Instead of looking like a seven-headed brachiosaurus, now, it looked like something completely different,

“Okay… I admit it, that was a really bad idea.” -Panda Rouge admit it his mistake.  

“I told you, but you didn’t listen…” -Chat Noir whispered.

Dragonfly, who heard the explosion, told Queen Bee she was going to check what had happened. As she landed next to the rest of the team, Gargantua finished regenerating. The creature now looked like a giant Golem with three heads and four arms. The heads looked different from one another. The one on the middle looked relatively human with a couple of traits that reminded the gargoyles in Notre-Dame, while the other two had a more animalistic look to them. The one on the left looked like the head of a tiger, and the one on the right looked like the head of a snake. Seeing it, they asked themselves if that was the same creature they had been fighting.  

“Okay, what just happened?” -Dragonfly asked.

“Panda Rouge tried to blow up that monster and now it looks like that.” -Antelope told her.

“That explains the explosion we heard.” -Dragonfly said.

“I really thought that my idea would work…” -Panda Rouge declared in a low, beaten voice.

“Don’t take it so hard on you. We also thought it would actually work.” -Arachnid told him. –“From a scientific point of view, usually blowing up something means that that something won’t come back. You couldn’t have known that it would regenerate itself after being blown apart.”

“Well, too bad science and magic don’t go hand in hand.” -Panda Rouge stated. 

Suddenly, Gargantua opened its mouths and spewed a huge swarm of Akuma butterflies, before starting to move at an incredible speed. Trampling over the icy floor, and destroying the ice barrier that Louve Grise had raised to block the entrance of more of Hawk Mouth’s scouts into the square, it started heading towards the Avenue des Champs-Elyses. The police fired over the creature, but just like before, their bullets did nothing to it. Impressed by its new-found speed, Ladybug and the others knew that their battle against Gargantua had taken a turn for the worst.

“We got to go after that thing!” -Grizzly Bear exclaimed.

“Do we have any other choice?” –Arachnid asked.

“Nope.” -Forest Doe said.

“Then, let’s go! Time’s a wasting here!” -Antelope declared, as readied himself to get out of there, with only one thought on his mind: To stop that thing before it causes more chaos, mayhem and damage.

“No. Not like that. We’re going to need the rest of the team to take that thing out.” -Ladybug said, stopping Antelope on his feet. –“Dragonfly, go back and fetch the rest of our team. We can’t let that thing keep running amok like that.”

“You got it! I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.” -Dragonfly declared, as she shot herself into the air.

“What about us?” -Arachnid asked.

“We’re going after it.” -the scarlet hero said. –“Once it’s in your grasp, attack it. We won’t let it get away this time.”

“But how are we going to kill it?” -Chat Noir asked her.

“I don’t know yet… but we’ll come with something.” -she told him. –“First things, first. We find a way to stop it… then, we’ll see.” -she said with a serious tone.    

“And the Akuma butterflies it spewed into the air?” -Forest Doe asked her.

“Leave them. No matter how many we destroy, it won’t matter if that thing can produce more of them.” -Ladybug answered her. –“We have to take it down, no matter what.”       

* * *

Gargantua kept running down the avenue, throwing cars and buses that had been abandoned by the panicking people to the sideways, while also destroying several trees that were on the sidewalks. So as to stop it, the police decided to use a trump card, helicopters. Five different helicopters appeared in front of the giant colossus, ordering it to stand down. Two of the helicopters had snipers pointing at Gargantua, waiting for a chance to shoot. They had known that regular bullets did not hurt it, but desperation was a powerful enemy, and as such, they decided to use explosive rounds on it, hoping to at least slow it down. Still, the creature had other plans. Grabbing a bus, it tossed at one of the helicopters, planning to take it out of the sky. Fortunately, helped arrived in the nick of time. Using her good luck powers, Ladybug quickly saw a way to avoid a tragedy. Throwing her yo-yo and latching it onto a flag-pole on one of the buildings, she quickly grabbed Grizzly Bear by the collar of his suit, and tossed him in front of the bus. Seeing himself between a rock and hard place, on in this case, the helicopter and the bus thrown by Gargantua, Grizzly Bear saw no other option but to punch it back at the ugly creature, saving the helicopter, who quickly gained altitude, to escape any other attack from Gargantua. As for the bus, it managed to temporarily knock down the monster, who then ripped it into two, while roaring in anger.    

Landing on the ground safely, Grizzly Bear looked at Ladybug and said:

“Could you give me a little heads-up next time?” -he asked her, after she snagged him and threw him.

“Sorry, I’ll try next time, I promise.” -she said.  

Shortly after, Dragonfly and Queen Bee showed up, along with Corbeau Noire and Flamingo, as well as Volpina, who was using her levitation powers to carry herself and Jade Turtle through the air. Seeing Arachnid on one of the rooftops, they landed next to him.

“What’s the sitch?” -Volpina asked him.

“Is that a Kim Possible reference?” -Arachnid asked.

“Could you stop being a nerd for like 10 minutes and answer me?” -the fox heroine asked him, demanding a answer.

“Sorry, couldn’t help myself.” -he said. –“Summing it up, that’s Gargantua’s new form, and while the other version was strong, this one is both strong and fast.”

“That’s bad.” -Jade Turtle said.

“What can we do?” -Corbeau Noire asked.

“Ladybug’s the one who’s giving the orders, but given that she’s currently busy…” -Arachnid said, pointing out to the heroine, who was busy dodging Gargantua’s newest attack. Somehow, it had learned to throw small firecrackers, and it was using them to blow them up. To protect herself, Ladybug decided to use her yo-yo as a shield, and though she was holding herself pretty well against it, she knew she had to get out of there.

“Hang on, Ladybug! I’m coming!” -Volpina said, as she jumped towards the ground.

“We better help too!” -Corbeau Noire said. Using her powers, she quickly gathered all the shadows she could see, and created a large chain, that she used to chain up the monster. This allowed Ladybug to let her guard down for a couple of seconds, to catch her breath.

“Good job, Corbeau Noire!” -Ladybug said.

“You don’t look so tough now, do you, ugly?” -Chat Noir said, as he stood in front of Gargantua. –“What? You’re not going to roar? Don’t tell me, cat got your tongue?” -he joked.

Before Chat Noir could crack another one of his cat-puns, Gargantua roared in anger. But this time, its roar sounded slightly different. Not only it was higher, but it also sounded different. The noise it was making was so high, that the heroes were forced to cover their ears. After a few seconds, which felt like several minutes, Gargantua stopped roaring, only to break free from the shadow chains created by Corbeau Noire. To make matters worse, the roar he had given was in fact, a call, calling forth all of Hawk Moth’s scouts as back-up to its location. Seeing them approaching from everywhere, every member of the Miraculous Team knew they were in trouble.

“Out of the fire, and into the frying pan.” -Chat Noir said.

“That’s an understatement.” -Volpina told him.  

“I’m starting to think that we’re biting more than we can chew.” -Jade Turtle said.

“What’s the plan?” -Forest Doe asked.

“I’ll tell you what it is! A couple of well-placed tornados will get us rid of these creeps!” -Queen Bee exclaimed  

“No, don’t! If you use your power here, you might pull in those helicopters!” -Ladybug warned her.

“I’ll tell them to get out of here. Then, you can use your tornados.” -Dragonfly said, as she took off. It took her just a couple of seconds to talk with the pilots in the helicopters and explain to them what was going on. Just like it happened with the SWAT Team at the Place de la Concorde, those pilots would normally not take any orders from kids, but given what was going on, plus the fact that one of them was almost hit with a bus, they decided to place themselves at a reasonable distance from the action. Heading back to where the others were, she said. –“All taken care of. Go make some tornados, Queen Bee.”

“Alright, but be careful. Don’t make them so strong that they start ripping the trees out of the ground, okay?” -Ladybug said, as she saw the helicopters putting a safe distance from the avenue.  

As Ladybug instructed Queen Bee, Arachnid and Antelope decided to make their own move against Gargantua. Wrapping him with his lasso, Arachnid decided to use some science to take the creature down. Applying the law of the lever as stated by Archimedes himself, both he and Antelope pulled the lasso together and made the giant Gargantua fall to its knees, in a scene mirroring the Biblical fight of David and Goliath. Requesting assistance from Louve Grise, they asked her to freeze Gargantua’s body. Making use of her fan, she quickly froze the creature.

“Nothing beats science.” -Arachnid said.

As he said this, Queen Bee threw her trompo and created several mini tornados that began to spin and suck every last one of Hawk Moth’s scouts. Once inside the tornados, they would not get out. She decided to send them to the Seine. At least there, it would take them a while to get out of the water.

“There. Now, they won’t cause us any more trouble.” -Queen Bee said, as she landed on the floor. The others were all looking at what Arachnid, Antelope and Louve Grise had done to Gargantua. The three of them could hardly believe that they had actually stopped it with such a simple, and yet, efficient plan of attack.

“We got it, now what?” -Jade Turtle asked.

“Well, we have to destroy the body. How do you propose we do it?” –Volpina asked them.

But before anyone could answer Gargantua started to glow red, with its body melting the thick ice layer that covered it. Inspecting it, Arachnid touched the creature, only to take his hand off of it the second after.   

“Whoa! This thing’s burning up!” -he said. If it had not been for his suit protecting him, he would have ended with a nasty burn on his hand.

And then, Gargantua raised two of his arms and grabbed both Ladybug and Corbeau Noire, as it used the other two get up, while roaring like an animal. Not wasting a second, Chat Noir jumped as high as he could and using his staff, began to hit the monster’s as hard as he could.

“Let her go, you freak!” -the feline hero yelled at Gargantua, as his staff stroke it hard. 

Flamingo also did not waste any time. Somersaulting in the air, she kicked Gargantua’s right face as hard as she could, over and over, while avoiding the monster’s attempts to also get her. The rest of the team also attacked it, trying to free their friends. Ladybug and Corbeau Noire, who were also trying to free themselves, were having trouble in doing it.   

“ _This thing is going to crush me… I have to get out of here._ ” -Ladybug thought to herself, as she saw Chat landing on Gargantua’s shoulder, and starting to race towards her, with his staff in hand.

“Hang on, I’m going to get you out of there!” -Chat said, as he planned to use his staff as a lever to force Gargantua to open its closed fist, and release her.

On the other end of the monster, Corbeau Noire was also watching Flamingo doing her best to get her out of that tight jam. The blonde figured that if she hurt the monster’s face enough, it would be forced to drop the raven-haired girl, in order to get her.

“Look out!”

Flamingo heard her friend’s warning, but was not fast enough. The monster used his lower right arm to swat her, like she was a mosquito, hitting her and projecting her into one of the buildings. The impact was so strong, that she went through the wall.

“You bastard! I’ll teach you not to hurt her!” -Corbaeu Noire exclaimed, enraged.       

Enraged, and feeling a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins, Corbeau Noire managed to release her arms from Gargantua’s grasp, and with a quick and precise shot from her hand mirror, which hit it on its snake-like head, the monster in pain, released her. The pain also made it release Ladybug, and gave the rest of the team an opening to strike it directly.

As for Corbeau Noire, she flew as quickly as she could to where Flamingo breached the wall upon impact. Entering through the whole she had made, she saw that she was already on her feet, and apart from being covered in dust and her hair being a little messy, she looked alright. Approaching her, she asked:

“Are you alright?”

“I think so.” -Flamingo said, as she dusted herself. –“I’m going to be all sore tomorrow, thanks to this.” -she said.

“You’re bleeding!” -Corbeau Noire exclaimed, as she noticed a little bit of blood on Flamingo’s lip.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just bit my lip.” -she said, as she wiped the few drops of blood with her fingers. –“I’m tougher than I look.”

“You sure are.” -Corbeau Noire smiled, relieved to know that her friend was alright. –“But you need to be careful. You just went through a wall.” -she said, worried about her safety.

“I will, but remember, just because you told me that you would protect me from any kind of danger, that doesn’t mean I won’t do the same for you.” -Flamingo said. –“Be careful also, okay?”

“I will.” -Corbeau Noire, as she hugged Flamingo, who returned the hug. –“Now, come on. We can’t let the others get all the glory when defeating that thing.”

Going out through hole in the wall, the girls joined the rest of the gang in their fight against Gargantua, which was escalating furthermore. Though they were doing their best to stop it from going any further, Gargantua was nearing the end of the avenue, making its way to the Arc de Triomphe. Something had to be made. That creature had to be stopped somehow; before it could cause more damage. If only they had more time to figure out a way to stop it… and then, Ladybug had a brilliant idea.   

“We can’t allow it to any further… Louve Grise! Give us some ice walls around the Arc de Triomphe square! Make them extra-thick and extra-tall. I don’t want it to escape, or anything else to come in!” -Ladybug ordered her.

“Leave it to me.” -she said, signalling Queen Bee to give her lift. In order to do what Ladybug had asked her, she would have to do it fast, and she would have to get up high.   

“Volpina, Flamingo! Could you come up with a distraction to keep it busy long enough to give Louve enough time to put up the walls?”

“On it!” -they said in chorus.

Using their powers, Flamingo once multiplied herself, while Volpina used her flute to also create several copies of herself. Sensing that they would not be enough, she quickly created several copies of all the heroes there, so as to give Gargantua a worthy challenge.

“Alright, you monster. Let’s see if you can find the real ones in this mess.” -Volpina and her copies spoke in chorus.

Hearing her say that, Gargantua began to spit fire balls from its three mouths, trying to incinerate them all. But, they all proved to be faster than it, especially Antelope, who started to run circles around Gargantua. While they distracted it, Louve Grise, with the help of Queen Bee, used her powers to lift up a huge ice wall that circled the whole square. Little by little, the ice started to amount at the base of the wall that rose up in the air. Once finished, the wall was so high that Gargantua would have to grow a pair of wings in order to get out of it. Putting her down, Queen Bee praised Louve Grise’s work.

“This looks great.” -Queen Bee said.

“Thanks.” -Louve Grise smiled, though one could see that she looked a little exhausted.

“Are you tired?” -the blonde asked her.

“I just need to catch my breath for a minute or two… I can hardly believe I did this.” -Louve Grise said, as she took several deep breaths.  

“Well, you did, and I’m very proud of you.” -Queen Bee told her, which made Louve Grise look her –“What?”

“You said you’re proud of me…” -the redhead declared.

“Yeah, so?” -the blonde asked.

“You never told me you’re proud of me.” -Louve Grise stated.

“Well, just because I don’t say it, that doesn’t mean I’m not proud of you.” -Queen Bee said. –“You’re my best friend.”

A small tear ran down Louve’s face, as she smiled, and hugged Queen Bee.

“Thank you, Chl… I mean, Queen Bee.” -Louve Grise said, feeling also proud of her friend and how far she had come, ever since she had decided to become a better person.

“You’re welcome, Sab… I mean, Louve Grise.” -Queen Bee smiled at her. –“So, you ready to finish that thing?”

“Lead the way!” -Louve Grise answered, putting on her warrior face.

* * *

Raising the wall of ice proved to be an excellent idea. A more restricted space made it easier for the whole team to focus their attacks on the creature. And as a bonus, none of Hawk Moth’s scouts would be able to come in. Still Gargantua’s attacks kept growing stronger. It was hard to believe that maybe an hour before that creature had a different look and seemed so much more peaceful, when compared to it now. As the fight went on, the police helicopters that had been told by Dragonfly to stay at a safe distance, approached once more, but still kept away from the conflict. Their superiors gave them orders to attack Gargantua, but after seeing what the creature was able to do, they ignored their orders and just kept observing the fight that was going on. If they said they liked the fact that a group of kids with superpowers was doing all the fight and their work, while they stood on the sidelines, watching, they would be lying. But they were not the only ones on the sidelines. Joining them was the helicopter of TVi, covering the news. And inside it, was one of TVi’s best reporters, Nadja Charnack.   

“If you just joined us, this is Nadja Charnack, reporting live from the Arc de Triomphe, where a monstrous creature named Gargantua is causing chaos and mayhem, after the mysterious terrorist named Hawk Moth made it appear before everyone’s eyes, earlier this afternoon in front of the Louvre.” -Nadja said. –“ _I can’t believe I’m saying this… terrorist, really? From what we’ve seen, this guy is more than a terrorist. He’s more like a supervillain from one of the cartoon shows my daughter watches._ ” -she thought to herself. –“ _Can’t believe this happened, today of all days. And to think that I had the perfect day planned._ ”    

(Flashback)

_Nadja Charnack was not supposed to work that day. She had made plans for her husband and her to go out that night on a romantic dinner, and then, to attend the opera. She had even asked her friend Sabine, if her daughter, Marinette, could babysit her daughter Manon that night, to which she said, she would be happy to. She had been desperately waiting for that weekend to come, all because her work had been stressing her out, even more than usual. Unfortunately, when Hawk Moth decided to appear and create achaos and mayhem, all her plans went down the drain. Being called to the studio to cover what was going on, she was forced to drop Manon earlier at Sabine and Tom’s Boulangerie. As she entered the boulangerie, she had to reprimand her daughter, who refused to stand still._

_“Manon, behave yourself!” –she told her._

_“Yes, mommy.” -little Manon said._

_“Nadja? I wasn’t expecting you and little Manon here for another couple of hours.” -Sabine said, as she came out from behind the counter to welcome Nadja._

_“I know, and I’m sorry, but something big has come up.” -Nadja told her friend, as she kissed her on the cheek. –“I know, this is a very big favour to ask of you and Marinette, but…”_

_“Don’t worry, Manon is always welcome here. We were already expecting her, so being a little earlier is nothing.” -Sabine smiled._

_“I can’t thank you enough.” -Nadja said._

_“You’ll find a way.” -Sabine smiled._

_“Come here, Manon.” -Nadja said, as she kneeled in front of her daughter. –“Be good to Mr. and Mrs. Cheng and to Marinette, and do what they ask you to do, while I’m gone, okay? Mommy has to go to work now.”_

_“Okay, mommy.” -Manon answered._

_“And remember, no doing your baby doll eyes to get what you want, because…”_

_“Because I can’t always win. I know, mommy.” -Manon waved her head._

_“Good.” -she smiled. –“Now, give mommy a kiss.” -she said, as she kissed Manon on the cheek. –“See you later.”_

_“Bye, mommy!” -Manon said, as Nadja exited the boulangerie. –“Where’s Marinette? Is she up in her room? I want to play with her.” -Manon declared, with a big smile on her face._

_“Well, Marirnette is still sleeping. She was working out, and I told her that she could sleep until you arrived. But since you arrived a little earlier, and we both know that you don’t want to wake her up, how about if I gave you a plate of cookies and milk just for you, so you can eat them while watching a little bit of TV?” -Sabine asked her._

_“A whole plate of cookies, just for me?!” -Manon asked, not believing her luck._

_“Yes.” -Sabine smiled._

(End of flashback)

“Shortly after the creature’s appearance, a mysterious group of heroes showed up and has been trying to fight off Gargantua. Who are these heroes? Are they here to defeat the beast and save our fair city? Or perhaps, are they in cohorts with the mysterious Hawk Moth, and are part of an even more diabolical scheme? Stay tuned with us, as we bring you more information on what is going on.” -she said. –“ _Who wrote this? This all sounds like a script from a cheesy B-movie. It makes no sense at all._ ” -she thought.  

As the battle unfold, they all tried their best to find a weakness in Gargantua they could explore for their own benefit. But this was hard, because it kept moving and its attacks grew in power. It was then that Grizzly Bear had an idea that might help them. But to pull the stunt he had in mind, he would need help from one of his teammates, who had the ability to fly. Signalling Dragonfly, who was on the ground near him, recovering from an emergency landing, he said:

“Can you get me up there?”

“Why?” -Dragonfly asked him, not understanding why he would ask her something like that.

“I’m going to try something.” -Grizzly said. –“I’m going to fall on top of it like a cannonball.”

“How high?” -she asked him.

“Get me above the clouds!” -he said,

“Above the clouds?! Are you nuts?!” -Dragonfly exclaimed, after hearing him say that.  

“Maybe I am, but if I fall on top of that thing, I might knock it down and keep it unconscious long enough for us to come up with a way to destroy it.” -he told her.

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. You might get hurt.” -she told him.

“Whether it is or not, I don’t care. I’ll take full responsibility for it. Besides, we’re practically indestructible when we’re transformed. It’s time to see if that’s true or not.” -Grizzly declared, confident on his plan.

Doing as she was requested, Dragonfly grabbed Grizzly Bear and with one quick jump, she shot herself into the air, always making sure she would not let go of him. When she saw they were already high enough, she signalled him, and dropped him. His plan was simple, gain as much velocity as he could, and hit gargantuan with both his fists, while hoping the impact was enough to put him unconscious. They already knew that if frozen, Gargantua would stop moving, so now, it was his turn to try his best shot.

As he descended, Dragonfly was by his side, to make sure that if things became too dangerous, to catch him while he was still in the air. Looking down, Grizzly saw the ground getting closer and closer, as the wind whipped his face. It was a good thing he did not suffer from vertigo, otherwise, that experience would most certainly stop his heart. When he was already there, he closed his fists and placed them in front of his head, with the arms fully extended.

The others who happened to be looking above saw him approach and figured what he was attempting to do. But they were not the only ones who saw him. The advantage of having three heads is that the odds of being caught off guard are pretty slim. And in Gargantua’s case, it saw Grizzly Bear approaching it. As he was about to hit it, the monster grabbed him with one of his hands. Approaching its fist from the middle head, it roared, just before throwing him into the Arc de Triomphe. The force of the impact was such that he went through it, opening cracks on the stone monument that led the middle of the arc to collapse. If it had not been for the wall of ice that Louve Grise had raised to stop him, he would have flown through until finding a surface hard enough to stop him. As he tried to get up, he felt the cold smooth surface of the ice against his body. Surprisingly, he had not broken anything despite the violence of the launch, but he could still feel his muscles screaming in pain. Dragonfly was the first to arrive to see if he was alright, followed by Forest Doe and Ladybug, who also wanted to make sure he was okay.

“I told you that was a bad idea.” -Dragonfly said.

“Nope… you told me that falling down the sky from that height was a bad idea.” -Grizzly said, trying to sound funny to hide the fact that he was hurting all over the place.

“That’s not funny! You could’ve gotten seriously hurt!” -Forest Doe exclaimed, as she checked him, to see if he had any serious injuries.       

“She’s right. In case you haven’t noticed, you went through a national monument.” -Ladybug told him.

“And I’m fit as fiddle.” -Grizzly Bear said. –“ _Though I feel like I was runover by a bus, multiple times._ ” -he thought to himself.  

“You stay here and try to rest a little while. Doe, stay with him. Dragonfly, let’s go.” -Ladybug said, signalling her.

“I’m not staying here, while you guys are risking your necks to fight that thing. I’m heading back. Besides, I owe that thing a punch for what it did to me just now!” -Grizzly protested.  

“You’re going to stay here, and that’s final.” -Ladybug told him

“But…”

“That’s an order! Stay here, or I’m going to get really mad at you, if you hurt yourself.” -Ladybug told him. –“Doe, keep an eye on him, okay?” -she asked her, to which Forest Doe waved her head in compliance.

She hated to tell people what to do, but she was not going to let Grizzly Bear get hurt. Ladybug could tell that he was just pretending he was not hurt, and she would rather have him get upset with her, than having him injured because he wanted to fight that thing in that state. Grabbing a lift from Dragonfly, she went back into battle, while Doe made sure that Grizzly rested up a bit, before heading back.

* * *

After one of his attacks was once more repelled by Gargantua, Panda Rouge had to take cover behind a piece of what it used to be the Arc de Triomphe. The monster had made quite the number on it, after Grizzly Bear went through it, and was now breaking pieces of it and throwing them at the heroes.

“If a couple of weeks ago anyone had told me I would be fighting a monster made out of ink, I would say that that would only happen in my imagination, or in one of my comic books.” -he thought to himself. –“How do you beat something that is made out of ink and that can regenerate in an instant?”

And that, was when he had the idea that was going to save the day and put an end to that creature.  


	22. Saving the Day

While still standing behind the piece of rock, Panda Rouge quickly came up with the whole plan in his head. Compared to his first great plan, which ended up failing, this one, he believed that it was going to work. A few seconds later, Chat Noir sought refuge from Gargantua’s flaming balls next to him.

“I got a plan.”

“Like the other one, where you placed a bomb inside this thing?” -Chat asked him.

“No, this one is different…” -Panda told him, when a flaming ball passed just a couple of feet above their heads. If they had been standing up, they would have probably ended with a brand-new haircut, a haircut that would have left them without a head, and approximately 20 centimetres shorter. –“Whoa, that was a close one…”

“Tell me about it.” -Chat agreed. –“So, what’s that plan of yours?”

He quickly told him the plan, without getting into details. Unlike his previous plan, this one seemed like something that could actually work. Still, Chat was not the one giving the orders, and he felt that they all should listen to it, before attempting it.

“Are you sure that will work?”     

“Don’t worry, this plan will work, I guarantee you.” -Panda Rouge said, with a confident smile on his face. –“This time, it will work.” 

“Then, let’s try and gather everyone to hear it.” -Chat told him, as he looked around for another of their teammates.

* * *

It was not easy to gather everyone, but luckily Flamingo’s copies and the multiple illusions created by Volpina gave them the necessary time to hear out Panda Rouge’s idea. Assembling near the place where Grizzly Bear was taking a small break, along with Forest Doe, the redhead started to talk:

“Okay, here’s a question for all of you. How does one kill a cartoon character in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”

“What?” -Ladybug asked, puzzled.

“Do you think this is a good time to ask 20 questions?” -Volpina asked him.

“Just answer it!” -Panda Rouge begged them.

“Judge Doom has that thing called Dip or something like that.” -Corbeau Noire answered. She had recently watched the movie again, and it was still fresh in her memory.

“Exactly! It killed cartoons, because they were made out of ink, just like our buddy there! And do you know what one of the ingredients of that stuff was?” -Panda Rouge asked, but before anyone could give him an answer, he said: “Turpentine! Turpentine is basically a solvent. If we spray that inky colossus there with it, it will start to melt.”

“Your other plan also seemed like a good plan, and looked what happened.” -Queen Bee shot at him.

“I know, but the last time I tried to blow it up, thinking it would be the end of it. This time, we’ll be melting it, burning it even. I mean, it has to work.” -Panda insisted on the matter.

“But what if it doesn’t? What if in the end that thing decides to regenerate into something even worse than before?” -Arachnid asked him.

Hearing him say that, Ladybug knew that that was a possibility. There was no way to know if Panda Rouge’s plan would actually work, but they had been trying to take that monster down for almost an hour then, and in the process, a small portion of the French capital had been destroyed, or at least damaged either by Gargantua or, indivertibly, by one of their attacks. Still, if his plan happened to be the solution they were looking for, it was worth a shot. Feeling that what he had spoken made sense, she decided to stand by him.

“We got nothing to lose, and all to gain. I for one say that we should go with Panda’s plan.” -Ladybug said.

“Me too.” -Chat Noir said.

One by one, they all agreed to go with the redhead’s idea. They did not know if it was going to work, but they had confidence that their friend’s idea would work. To prepare everything they were going to need, he requested for them to keep Gargantua busy for a couple of more minutes. With all the copies of Flamingo, as well as the illusions Volpina had created of them to fight that monstrosity, this proved to be a relatively simple.

Drawing as fast as he could, he quickly drew what he hoped was going to be their ace up their sleeves. Basing himself on the proton packs worn by the Ghostbusters, Panda Rouge designed his own version of them, but instead of shooting proton streams, they shot concentrated turpentine. He also drew a large tanker truck, filled with turpentine, which they were going to use against Gargantua. Once everything was finished, he explained to them how everything worked, and how they were going to do things.

“It’s really simple. You just aim and pull the trigger.” -he explained.

“I see. It’s really simple.” -Flamingo said, as she tried on the pack.

“So, what exactly is the plan? We just spray it with it and hope it works?” -Forest Doe asked.

“Pretty much, yeah. But, I advise that we split into teams. One takes the ground, the other takes the air, just in case it tries to fly out of here.” -he said.

“Makes sense.” –Doe agreed.

“Okay, then, those who can fly or levitate are the air team. Those who can’t fly, are the ground team.” -Ladybug said, as all of them strapped the packs to their backs. –“Just one question, what about the tanker? What we going to do with it?”

“Simple. If my idea works, and we can actually melt this sucker down, the air team will use their flying ability to crazy it above that thing’s head and we’ll pour its content over it and finish the job.” -Panda Rouge told her.

“I understand. Okay, then, let’s do this.” –Ladybug said.

Getting into position, they all waited for Ladybug to give the signal. Time seemed to slow down, as they waited for the signal to come. Finally, when she saw the right moment to strike, she gave the signal, and every member of the team began to spray Gargantua with turpentine. As soon as the turpentine hit it, the creature roared in pain. Hitting its legs, these soon began to melt.

“It’s working! This creep’s melting!” –Jade Turtle exclaimed.

“Keep hitting it!” -Antelope said, as he ran circles around Gargantua, spraying it.  

But Gargantua was not going to let them melt it like it was a piece of chocolate left in the sun to melt. Trying to get away, it grew a pair of demon-like wings and spread them, attempting to fly out of there, or at least, away from the heroes, who were trying to melt it. But, its attempt to run away was foiled by the flying members of the team, who sprayed turpentine on it, melting both its wings, as well as one of the heads. Roaring like a wild animal, its roars were sure to be heard from the other side of town.

“I think it’s time for phase 2 of the plan.” -Panda Rouge said, as he signalled Ladybug.

“I think the girls are too busy t do that, right now!” -she exclaimed, noticing Volpina, Corbaeu Noire, Flamingo, Queen Bee and Dragonfly had their hands full, trying to stop Gargantua from regenerating its wings. –“We’re going to need a plan B!”

“Plan B? I hate it when people say that! It’s bad luck to say that!” -he said.

“Whatever! You didn’t make these things with a infinite tank, and soon they’ll be empty. We need that tanker up there, now!” -she said, as she kept looking at the monster, which continued to melt. Still, she knew that if they ran out of turpentine on their packs, it would have time to regenerate. Seeing no other option, she decided to ask help from the only member of the team, whose strength was more than enough to throw that tanker up into the air, where the girls would be able to catch it, Grizzly Bear. –“Grizzly! Can you throw the tanker up there?!”

She knew he was still hurt from his last stunt, even though he would not admit it, but she knew that he was the only one of them that had the strength to pull a stunt like that.

“Sure! But I’m going to need a little help to get it up vertically.” -he said.

“Jade? Think you can help him?” -Ladybug asked him.

“Think you can handle yourself for two minutes, bro?” -Jade Turtle asked Chat Noir, who was by his side.

“You know I can… you, on the other hand…” -Chat Noir joked with a cocky voice.

“Just keep spraying it. I’ll be back in a second.” -he told the feline.

Using his shields like a hydraulic jack, Jade Turtle quickly managed to elevate the tanker to a position, where it was practically upright. This made it easier for Grizzly Bear to grab it and elevate it above his head. As he positioned himself and readied himself to throw the tanker, Ladybug instructed Forest Doe on what she was going to do.

“Once they grab it, you shoot your arrows against the tanker to pierce it, okay?”

“Got it.” -she waved her head. –“Just one question. How are they going to know they have to grab the tanker?”

“ _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid, you forgot about that part!_ ” -Ladybug thought to herself, after realizing the flaw in her plan. Thinking, she came up with an idea to tell them what to do. –“Panda! Can you send a message to them up there, telling them that they have to grab the tanker?”

“Coming up!” -Panda Rouge exclaimed, as he drew something. When he finished, she saw that it was a white band with the words “Catch the tanker” written on it. The band, magically travelled through the air, stopping where they were. Giving them a couple of seconds to read the message, she then signalled Grizzly to throw the tanker.

The amount of strength he put on its launch, made the tanker rise into the air like an arrow, spinning in the air. The girls all grabbed it, using most of their strength to hold it in the air. As soon as she saw they had it secure, Forest Doe shot countless arrows into the air, all of them hitting their designated target. The holes made by the arrows allowed the turpentine in it to start to fall on to Gargantua. Unfortunately, the amount of brownish yellowish liquid that was coming out of the holes was not enough to completely melt the creature, she decided there was only one thing to do; she was going to cut it open.

“Throw me up there!” -she asked Grizzly Bear.

“What?” -Grizzly asked.

“Just do it!” -Ladybug yelled.

Obeying her wish, Grizzly Bear grabbed her and launched her. Spinning her yo-yo like a shield, she intended to use it to cut open the tanker and let the turpentine drop like a bomb on Gargantua. Like she predicted, as soon as she cut it open, the brownish yellowish liquid dropped like a bomb on the creature, making it roar in pain, as it was consumed by it. The only thing she did not had in account, was that now, she was falling. Spinning her yo-yo once more, she tried to grapple it to the tanker’s front axle, only to fail. She was going down, and at that height, it was going to be a major fall. But, as luck would be on her side, someone caught her, and that someone was her partner, Chat Noir. Looking at her, his grin made her blush lightly.

“No worries, milady, I got you.” -Chat Noir smiled at her.

“I bet you tell that to every girl you know.” -Ladybug giggled.

“Just the pretty ones.” -Chat Noir joked, as he winked at Ladybug, who smiled at him.

As they landed on the icy floor, they turned around to see Gargantua melt into a puddle of black, red, blue and yellow ink, while roaring incessantly. And then, when Gargantua was nothing more than a puddle of ink, a black butterfly emerged from the puddle, flapping its wings. It was the Akuma butterfly that had created the creature.  

“No more evil-doings for you, you stupid Akuma butterfly.” -Forest Doe said, as she readied an arrow on her bow. –“Time to relinquish you from evil!”

As she said that, the tip of her arrow began to glow. Shooting it, the arrow pierced the Akuma butterfly, destroying it. After that happened, a shockwave took place, and still unknown to them all, every single scout that had been created by the Akuma butterflies spewed by Gargantua returned to normal. They had done it, they had vanquished Hawk Moth’s creation and saved Paris in the process. On the top of the Basilique Sainte-Clotilde, Hawk Moth cursed his luck, as he saw his creation being defeated by a bunch of snot-nosed kids.

“Curse them…”

“Do you wish us to go there and teach them a lesson, master?” -Reptile asked him.

“No.” -Hawk Moth said. –“Let’s go.”

“What?! But master, we…” -Madame Romani said.

“I said, let’s go!!!!” -the villain yelled, enraged. The way he talked, he silenced both of his lieutenants in a way, that if they still had any ideas to go up against Ladybug or any other member of the Miraculous Team, they lost it on that precise moment. –“ _This is isn’t over yet. I’ll be back._ ” -he thought, as he teleported himself, along with the other two, back to his lair.

Back at the Arc de Triomphe, they were all celebrating their triumph. It seemed appropriate that their celebration would take place there, in the shade of that which was considered to be the greatest symbolic monument commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte during his reign as Emperor of Europe. Just like Napoleon, who managed to conquer most of Europe, the Miraculous Team had managed to destroy the monster and, in a way, conquer the safety of Paris, from the clutches of Hawk Moth.

“Nice shooting, Doe.” -Ladybug commended her friend and teammate.

“Thanks.” -Forest Doe smiled, happy to have been the one to destroy the Akuma butterfly.

“We did it! We did it!” -Flamingo exclaimed, as she hugged Corbeau Noire and started jumping along with her, ecstatic with their victory.

“We sure did!” -Corbeau Noire exclaimed, as she stopped jumping and grabbed Flamingo, by the waist and gently lifted her up in the sky, before planting a kiss on her lips. It was a small peck, but it was enough for both girls’ to taste each other’s lip gloss. It was only then that the raven-haired girl realized what she had done. But Flamingo just kept smiling, not uttering a single word about it. Seeing her smile, Corbeau Noire also smiled.

“I still can’t believe we saved the day!” -Arachnid exclaimed.

“Yeah, we really did, and it’s all thanks to the crazy plan, of this crazy guy, here!” -Antelope said as gave a noogie to Panda Rouge.

“Too bad we couldn’t stop that thing from destroying so many things.” -Louve Grise said. –“It’s going to take years for them to repair all the damage that thing did, and that we also did.”

She had not finished her sentence, when a green shockwave swept them and everything that was around them. In front of their eyes, the wall of ice she had raise to keep Gargantua from fleeing the scene, disappeared, and the Arc de Triomphe that was turned into a pile of rubble, rebuilt itself as if by magic. In fact, everything that had been destroyed, rebuilt itself. It was like nothing had ever happened in the first place. Seeing this, every last one of them asked themselves what just happened. And on the news helicopter, Nadja Charnack also asked herself what had happened, as she reported the news live.

“Speechless, that’s what I am right now, ladies and gentlemen. The monster that was terrorizing our fair city has been vanquished but our group of young heroes. Not only that, but I’ve just been informed that we have reports stating that the people that were turned into those dark creatures are back to normal, and that everything that was destroyed during the battle has been rebuilt. We have no explanation for it, though the first thing that comes to this reporter’s mind is that it was magic.” -Nadja said. –“We’re going down now, to try and get an exclusive interview with our new heroes. “ -she declared, as she signalled the pilot to land helicopter as fast as he could.

Down on the ground, the kids were still trying to understand what had just happened. One moment, they were in a battlefield, the second everything has gone back to normal.

“What just happened? -Volpina asked, stunned.  

“I have no idea…” -Flamingo said.  

And then, there was a flash of light that blinded them. It took them a couple of seconds for them to regain their eyesight, and when they did, they saw themselves in what looked like an empty void. The whole place was white, and the more they looked at it, the whiter it looked to them.  

“Where are we?” -Queen Bee asked, as she looked around.

“One moment we’re in front of the Arc de Triomphe, and now we’re here.” -Ladybug said.

“And you are still there. This is just happening in your mind.” -a voice was heard. They knew that voice, it was the voice of Master Fu. Suddenly, he appeared in front of them all, with his arms behind his back and a warm smile on his face.

“This is happening in our mind?” -Grizzly Bear asked.

“Yes, and before anyone asks, time here flows differently than it does in the real world. So, don’t worry, that when I return you, no time will have passed.” -the old master said.   

“Just like what happened with Harry Potter when Voldemort killed him, destroying the Horcrux that was inside him, and Harry ended up in Limbo, where he saw Professor Dumbledore, and while he was there, in the real world, time stood still? Is that what’s going on here?” -Arachnid asked Master Fu.

Volpina was about to tell him to stop being a nerd and a geek with all those explanations, but decided not to this time.

“Well, yes, more or less.” -Master Fu said.

“Then, while we’re here, time will go by much faster than in the real world, right?” -Antelope asked.

“Indeed.” –Master Fu declared.

“But, why are we here? Why did you call us here… wherever here is, master?” -Jade Turtle asked.

“I summoned you all here, to have a little talk with you.” -Master Fu said. –“First of all, I’m very proud of you. You managed to defeat that monster and prevent Hawk Moth from enslaving the town and the world. It was a battle that will be remembered for many, many years to come, and you showed to Hawk Moth that you’re not just a group of kids playing with the miraculouses.”

The words that Master Fu said, filled the kids’ hearts with joy and pride. It felt good to know that they had done a great work. Unfortunately, that feeling disappeared, with what Master Fu told them next.

“But, I’m also very disappointed with you. You could have ended the battle much sooner, if you had done what I told you during every single training session we had, ever since you received your miraculouses.” -he said in a serious tone. –“You went against everything I told you before, and decided, each one of you, singlehandedly to take out both Hawk Moth and his minions, not to mention that monstrous creature, and look what happened! The Louvre ended up destroyed, and it was a miracle no one ended up killed.”

What he was telling them was true. There was no other way to say it. They messed up, and they were lucky in a way. It could have been worst. People could have been hurt, or killed.

“Still, it did not take long for you to understand that the key to victory was teamwork. And it was that same teamwork that ended up saving the day.” -he told them, now with a more complacent voice. –“You all understood that, but, you needed one person to remind you of that, and that person was Marinette, or better yet, Ladybug here.” -he pointed to her. –“She managed to keep her cool, and, she was the one that was able to coordinate all of you during the battle. If it had not been for her, you would have mot certainly lost, and Hawk Moth, along with his lieutenants and his creation, would have killed you.”

There was a long silence, following that last statement. Master Fu was right. If it had not been for Ladybug’s quick thinking and spirit of leadership, the final result of everything that went on, could have been incredibly different. 

“But, I can’t blame you all for it, because I’m also to blame here. I thought that we had more time before Hawk Moth showed himself, and as such, I did not urge you to do something, which should have been the very first thing you should have done… to choose a leader.” -Master Fu said. –“The reason why you succeeded was because Ladybug here acted as a leader and guided you. Now, I know that you just got out of your first battle and you’re exhausted, but this is something that must be done, without any further ado. You must choose a leader to lead you.”

“You aren’t going to suggest anyone?” -Panda Rouge asked.

“It’s not my call to tell you who should be your leader, Panda Rouge. That, is something that you must decide among yourselves.” -Master Fu told him.

“Well, then, I vote that Ladybug should be our leader!” -Volpina declared enthusiastically.

“Me? No, no, no, I can’t be the leader!” -Ladybug said, suddenly reverting to her everyday personality.

“But why not? You did a great job today.” -Volpina told her.

“Well, someone needed to tell you guys what to do… I just…” -Ladybug began to stutter, not knowing what to say. 

“You guided us. No, you lead us. You knew exactly what to do and what to say, Marinette.” -Volpina told her.

“She’s right. You may not want to admit it, but you made the difference today, by telling us what to do.” -Chat Noir said, making her blush lightly. –“Most of us were too obsessed with wanting to take down that thing and end Hawk Moth as quickly as we could, to realize that what we were doing was wrong. You were the one who told us to get our minds on the game and to work as a team. As far as I see it, you are a great leader, and I wouldn’t mind having you lead us.”

“Me too.” -Flamingo said.

“Me three!” -Dragonfly exclaimed.

“I guess so, I mean, you did a good job.” -Queen Bee admitted.

One by one, they all told her that she would make a great leader. It was unanimous. All her friends wanted her to be their leader. She still tried to dodge it, by claiming it was a big responsibility and they should not rush to conclusions, based on what she did on one mission, but it was no use. They were not going to take a no for an answer, and deep down, she knew it.

“ _I know they think I’m going to be a great leader, but what if I can’t meet their expectations?_ ” -she thought to herself, as her friends and teammates kept praising her and her leadership skills. –“ _I’m really in a pickle here… Adrien should be the leader, or even Alya. Either one of them is known for taking initiative and for being able to withstand huge amounts of stress and pressure. Me? I can’t even talk with Adrien without starting to blabber like an idiot…_ ” – she thought. And then it hit her. -“ _Wait a minute! I’ve been talking to Adrien without blabbing like an idiot. I just did, right now! Sure, it helps that he’s wearing a mask and that skin-tight, not to mention, sexy catsuit of his… but I’m digressing. If I can talk to him without acting like an idiot, I can certainly lead this team. And if it turns out I can’t, we’ll just choose someone else._ ”

“So? Are you our leader, or not?” -Forest Doe asked her.

“Yes. Yes, I am.” -Ladybug smiled. It felt good to say that; but before anyone could say anything else, she added. –“I’ll be your leader, and let me just say that I consider this an honour. But, let me add, that I will only accept this place, if you all agree that even though I’m your leader, that doesn’t mean that I’ll always be 100% right about everything. That said, I insist that you also say what you think, okay?” -she said.

“Spoken like a true leader.” -Volpina smiled, as she hugged her best friend. –“So, do we have to call you boss, or boss lady, from now on?” -she joked, making the scarlet heroine giggle.

“Ladybug will be just fine, Alya, and you know it.” -she laughed.

“I make Alya’s, or better yet, Volpina’s words, my own.” -Master Fu smiled. –“That was spoken like a true leader, because, a true leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. I have no doubt that you will make a great leader.” -he said, congratulating her.

“Uh, Master Fu, sorry for interrupting, but, I have a question.” -Jade Turtle said. –“The place we were, you know, the Arc de Triomphe and all, one minute it was busted and covered in ice, and on the next, it looked like nothing had happened. Do you know why that happened? Were we the ones who caused that?”

Hearing him, Master Fu said:

“No, it wasn’t you. I was the one who did all of that. I had to use one very special item to do that… and I wish I hadn’t, to be honest.”

“What do you mean?” -Corbeau Noire asked him.

Taking something of his left pocket, he showed them what looked like a huge green gemstone, embedded with several scriptures in it.

“This here is the all-powerful Shijiãn Amulet.” -he said. Marinette recognized the word as being “time”. Translated, that was the Time Amulet. –“It is a very ancient and very powerful amulet. It enables its user to control and manipulate time, space and matter. In this case, I used it to revert space and matter to fix what Gargantia and you did to Paris.”

“That’s why everything went back to normal.” -Antelope said.

“Indeed. I was waiting for you to choose a leader, so I could tell you about the fact that when you fight, you will, of course, damage things, but that those things can be restored by using magic.”

“So, what? You told us that now. There’s no biggie.” -Grizzly Bear said. –“Next time, we’ll use that amulet and return everything to its original state.”

“That, is just the problem.” -Master Fu said, with a very serious voice. –“This amulet can only be used once, because it takes a whole century to recharge. I was saving it for maybe, the final battle against Hawk Moth, which, I can predict, will most likely reduce this city and others to rubble.” -he went on. –“But, the amount of destruction that you and Gargantua cause today, was too much to be repaired, by this…”

Taking something out of his right pocket, he showed them what looked like another amulet. But this one looked like a smaller version of the Ampulla Hourglass, and it was even the same colour.  

“…the Ampulla Amulet.” -the old man said. –“It has the same powers as the Shijiãn Amulet, but it’s far less powerful. I had no other option but to use the Shijiãn Amulet to put things back as they were.” -he declared, hoping that such a decision would not come back to torment him later.

After a short break, he went on with the explanation.

“To make the Ampulla Amulet work, you must use one grain, and one grain only of the magical sand that is inside the Ampulla Hourglass.” -he explained. –“Every time you use it, you’ll have to place another grain. But don’t worry, I’ll take care of that. You just need to use it, and everything that was damaged or destroyed, will go back to what it used to be.”

“So, we can use that to turn things the way they were.” -Louve Grise said.

“Indeed. But, like I said, it’s not as powerful as the Shijiãn Amulet, and it doesn’t have the power to revert the amount of damage that you did today. But, it can still be used to revert the damage you’ll make, as long as it isn’t too extensive.”  -Master Fu said, insisting on the matter.    

“That means, that we’ll have to be more careful in the future and see if we can make as less damage as possible, while fighting.” -Ladybug declared.

“If you want this amulet to work, I advise that.” -Master Fu said.

“So, who’s going to keep it?” -Volpina asked him. 

“It’s custom that the leader is the one to wear it. Marinette, come here, please.” -Master Fu said. As she stopped in front of him, the old man placed the small amulet on her hand, and this one disappeared. –“Now, the amulet resides inside of you. When you need it, all you need to do is call it forth, and then use it. No magical words are needed to activate it. All you have to do is thinking about using it, and let it do the rest of the work.”

“I understand.” -Ladybug smiled. She was going to treat that amulet with the respect it deserved, as well as trying to be worthy of the responsibility Master Fu and her friends were giving her.  

“You go, girl!” -Dragonfly said.

“And before I send you all back, I think that we have someone else here who would like to say a few words. Isn’t that right, Chloé?” -Master Fu asked her.

That last sentence caught Chloé off guard. It took her a couple of seconds to understand what Master Fu could be talking about, but then it hit her. Being connected to the kwamis, Master Fu found out about what she spoke with Pollen earlier that morning. She quickly assumed this was his way to let her tell her friends what she really felt about.

“What is he talking about?” –Chat Noir asked.

“Yeah, what is it?” -Volpina asked.

Closing her eyes for a second, she remembered Pollen’s words, as they echoed in her mind.

 _“…you and your friends are good persons, and that deep down, they may be angry with you, but that doesn’t mean they won’t forgive you, if you apologize to them, from the bottom of your heart._ ” -she thought, remembering Pollen’s words.

Decided to prove her kwami was right about her, she took a deep breath, and started by saying:

“I’m sorry.” -she said, though, it sounded more like a whisper, than anything else.

“What? -Jade Turtle asked.

“I’m sorry.” -Queen Bee said, this time with a louder voice.

“For what?” -Forest Doe asked. –“If it’s about that first tornado you did, it’s okay…”

“No, it’s not about that. I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you all, and I’m not just saying that from now. I’m talking about the way I’ve treated each, and every one of you, since the day you met me.” -Queen Bee went on. –“I could say that I know that it’s been hard for you all to bear with me and my spoiled, selfish attitude towards you and just about everybody else, but I would be lying, because I don’t know just how hard that must have been for you.” -she went on, as the tears ran down her face. –“I’m apologizing for being a bitch towards you, all these years! My superhero name shouldn’t be Queen Bee, but rather Queen Bitch…”

Hearing that, none of them believed what they were hearing. None of them was expecting to hear those words coming out of the blonde’s mouth. None, except maybe for Sabrina, who knew just how much Chloé was trying to change for the best.

“Because that’s exactly what I’ve been to you all, a bitch… I treated you all, or most of you at least, like yesterday’s garbage, without thinking twice about it. I don’t know why I did it, or why I kept doing it… maybe, because I felt that it was easier for me to just behave like that, than to try and do an effort to be nicer to you guys. But, believe me, when I say that I’m really trying to change and turn over a new leaf. I know people are always saying this, and it’s really cliché, but I’m really, really, really trying my best to become someone different, someone who deserves to have you as friends, and who I can hope to be there for me when I need the most.” -she went on, as the tears continue to run down her face.        

When she finished talking, Sabrina was the first one to hug her. She was proud of her friend for revealing her true feelings, and how she managed to touch her heart. She had also touched everyone else’s heart, and little by little, the others also went to her and hugged her. As they did this, they also asked themselves if they had not contributed to it; if instead of just being mean to her, they had acted differently, maybe things had worked differently, and instead of seeing her as the bitch of their class, they would have seen someone who was only looking for a friend to talk with. She had acted wrongly with them, but they did not act correctly with her either, when they had the chance to do it. As such, they knew it was not going to be easy to forgive her and bury the past, but they at least had to try. The last one to hug her was none other than Marinette, who upon breaking the hug, smiled to her and said:

“Why don’t we start from the very beginning? Hello, I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng, just a normal girl with a normal life. But I have a secret, and I would like to share it with you… secretly I’m a super-heroine named Ladybug.” -she smiled. This made Chloé smile, as she wiped the last of her tears.

“Okay, let’s start from the beginning, then. I’m Chloé Bourgeois, and I’m also a normal girl with a normal life, who happens to be the daughter of the mayor of this city.” -she giggled. –“And, well, I also have a secret… secretly I’m a super-heroine named Queen Bee.”

“Not that I’m not happy with you giving your friend a second chance, but, don’t you have somewhere to go?” -Master Fu interrupted that emotional scene.

“How do we get back?” -Ladybug asked him.

“Leave it to me.” -Master Fu said. –“Just remember, you have training on Monday. Try not to be late.” -he reminded them, as they were once more engulfed by a bright light.


	23. Heroes and Stars

A few seconds after being engulfed by that strange bright light, they regained their eyesight and saw themselves back in the Place Charles de Gaulle, right next to the Arc de Triomphe. The first thing they felt was the wind blowing, as the news helicopter with Nadja CHarnack approached the ground. Nadja herself felt incredibly excited about all of that. You could say, that she felt like a little kid on Christmas morning, just before the unwrapping of the presents. Still, she tried not to show it, but behaving as professionally as possible.

“ _This is going to be the scoop of a lifetime! Now, calm yourself down Nadja. Remember, you must act professionally. You have interviewed kings and queens, princes and princesses, lords, barons, presidents and first ladies, billionaires, designers, pop stars, musicians, among others. There’s no need for you to act like a little girl… except that none of them could actually fly, or use any of the abilities these kids do!_ ” -she thought to herself. –“Hurry, we can’t let our viewers waiting!” -she told the pilot, as he stabilized the helicopter.

“Here come the media.” -Arachnid said.

“What do we do?” -Flamingo asked.

“What do you think we’re going to do? We’re going to talk to them.” -Chat Noir told her.

“You mean, giving them an interview?” -Flamingo asked, panicking.

“I think we should just get out of here before they land.” -Forest Doe suggested.

“Yeah, we should. Someone might actually recognize one of us on TV, and then they could make the connection. -Grizzly Bear suggested.

“Oh, they won’t.” -Queen Bee said. –“I was face-to-face with my dad when Louve Grise and I saved him and her dad, and he did not recognize me.”

“Neither did mine.” -Louve Grise declared. –“If they didn’t recognize their own daughters, I hardly believe anyone else will recognize us.”

“Besides, there’s no reason for us to run. We didn’t do anything wrong.” -Chat Noir told them.

“Chat’s right. We saved the city.” -Panda Rouge.

“If they want to interview us, go ahead. We got nothing to hide. Plus, it will be good for people to know who we are. That way, when another enemy appears, they won’t confuse us with one of Hawk Moth’s minions.” -Volpina declared. As an aspiring journalist herself, she understood just how having the media on their side could help them in the near future.

“Yeah. I bet that if Gargantua hadn’t shown up and it was just us, the police would’ve probably start shooting at us.” -Antelope said.

“Oh, come on, you’ve been watching too many monster movies.” -Dragonfly told him. –“They wouldn’t do that to us. They would probably think that we were kids cosplaying some characters from a cartoon or a kids’ show.”

“While using our powers?! Yeah, right.” -Antelope said, sarcastically.

“Look, it doesn’t matter. We’ll just present ourselves, talk about what we did and that’s that.” -Ladybug said.

“Then, being the leader, you should be the first one to talk.” -Jade Turtle said.

“M-Me?!” -Ladybug stuttered. –“But what I’m going to say?”

“Just be yourself, girl.” -Volpina told her.

“B-But what if I start stuttering?! W-What if I m-make a fool out of myself?! Maybe Queen Bee should be the first to be interviewed. She’s used to the cameras, anyway.”    

“Out of the question!” -Queen Bee said. –“You are our leader, and as such you’ll talk first.”

“Fine…” Ladybug sighed, when she felt a hand touching her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, we got your back. Remember that.” -Volpina said.

As she ended that sentence, the helicopter landed about 25 meters from them. Nadja waited for the propellers to stop spinning. When they did, she, along with her cameraman exited the helicopter and quickly approached the group of heroes.

“If you just joined us, ladies and gentlemen, I am Nadja Charnack and I’m here, live from the Arc de Triomphe, with the newest heroes of Paris.” -Nadja said. –“Where the police has failed, these young men and women were successful in taking down the monster that terrorised our town, by melting it! You heard me correctly, melting it. “ -she went on, as she stopped right in front of Ladybug and the others. –“Hello, there. I’m Nadja Charnack and we are live for TVi. Would you like to introduce yourselves for the cameras, please?”

When Nadja asked this, Ladybug froze in place. She knew what she wanted to say, and how to say it, but she froze. Seeing her friend like that, Volpina placed her hand over the blue-haired girl’s shoulder once more, and gently squeezed, bring her back to reality.

“Uh, hello! My name is Ladybug, and these are my friends and teammates. Together we are the Miraculous Team.” -she answered. –“You’re probably wondering who is who in this huge group, right? Then, let’s get started. The girl who’s holding my shoulder is Volpina, and the handsome guy standing over my left is Chat Noir…”

Ladybug went on, introducing each member of the team, as the cameraman made sure that each one of them was in focus.

“I see... well, now that we know who each one of you is, could you tell us where you came from, what your mission is, what is your connection to this Hawk Moth character, if you have one of course? Everyone at home wants to know everything they can about you, and that means this reporter as well.” -Nadja told them playfully.

“Well, we come from a faraway land, and we came here to fight the forces of evil.” -Ladybug said, lying about the first part. –“And for the record, we don’t have any kind of connection to Hawk Moth. He’s our arch-nemesis.”

“Arch-nemesis?! You mean that you have faced him before?”

“Let’s just say that we aren’t the first ones to wear these costumes and fight an evil like him.”

“But what does he want? Do you know what his intentions are?” -she asked. –“Several sources have already said that he was seeking global world-domination. Is that his true plan?”

“His intentions are to rule the world, starting with this city. And to do that, he’s going to make use of his powers to create a powerful army.” -Ladybug said. –“Today, everyone was witness to those same powers.”

The interview went on, and each one of the members answered most of the questions they were asked. Some, they refused to answer, either because they did not know what to answer, or because they felt they should not answer them. At the same time, a huge crowd started to appear, either to applaud the new heroes of Paris, to photograph them, or simply to find out what was going on; though at that point, anyone who was in front of a television, or connected to the Internet, knew what had been going and who they were. From anonymity to starlight in a matter of seconds, that’s how most would consider the appearance of the Miraculous Team.

“Does this mean that we haven’t seen the last of this Hawk Moth?” -Nadja Charnack went on with the questions.

“I’m afraid so.” -Louve Grise said.

“But have no fear. As long as we’re around here, you can be sure that we’ll do everything in our power to keep you safe.” -Corbeau Noire said. –“You have our word, that no matter what the challenge is, we’ll be there to ensure your safety.” -she declared.

If they said they were not enjoying that kind of attention, they would all be lying. It felt good to be on the spotlight. Even the shyest of them was thrilled to have the cameras on him. Still, the interview was taking forever, and the time was ticking. Most of the heroes should be at home, instead of wandering around.

“We better get going, girl. I left my twin sisters alone at home, and if my parents find out that I left them alone, for whatever reason, they’ll ground me for life.” -Volpina whispered at Ladybug. –“I think it’s time to use the signal we devised for these occasions.” -she kept whispering.

“I agree, we better get going.” -Ladybug whispered back at her. –“If Manon’s mom is here interviewing us, that means that Manon is already at my place. I just hope mom has decided to let me sleep a little longer, and kept her away from my room… if not, I’m going to be in a huge amount of trouble.” -she thought to herself, fearing the consequences of her parents finding about her secret identity.

Signalling the others, it was time for them to go, both Ladybug and Volpina were getting ready to get out of there.

“Oh, I just received notice that mayor Bourgeois is on its way to congratulate you all, himself.” -Nadja notified them.

“W-We feel most honoured, but I’m afraid we must get going.” -Ladybug said.

“But, what about the mayor?” -Nadja asked, slightly shocked to hear they were leaving. –“Aren’t you going to wait for him to arrive?”

“There will be other opportunities.” -the scarlet heroine said, as she grabbed her yo-yo and started spinning it. –“In the meantime, be safe citizens! Miraculous Team, away!”

With that, they all jumped, flew or ran out of there, leaving Nadja and just about everyone else with their jaws open in awe.

“Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Paris is now under the protection of a group of superheroes, who promised to protect it and its citizens. And their name is Miraculous Team. We’ll be sure to be on the lookout for them and their heroic feats. This is Nadja Charnack, from TVi, and now, back to the studio.” -Nadja declared, as she ended the broadcast.

* * *

Manon had been watching television for some time now. Sabine was keeping her company in the living room, making sure she would not attempt any kind of shenanigans, and she herself had been paying close attention to what was on. The appearance of Hawk Moth and his creature, Gargantua, along with the intervention of the mysterious superhero team, the Miraculous Team was all over the news, in every channel.

“Look, it’s my mommy!” -Manon exclaimed.  

“Yes, it is. Manon.” -Sabine told her.

“Do you think Marinette is already awaken? I want her to see those superheroes, mommy is interviewing!” -the little girl exclaimed. She still had not decided which one was her favourite, but she was inclined to either Ladybug, or Queen Bee or Flamingo.

“I don’t know, Manon, but why don’t I go and fetch you some more cookies, before we go and check on her?”  -Sabine asked her, as she got up from the couch.

“I bet she’s also hungry after sleeping. Do you think we can take her some cookies too?” -Manon asked Sabine.

“Now that’s a wonderful idea, Manon. You’re such a sweetheart. Always thinking of others first.” -Sabine said. Though the truth was that Manon wanted to go to Marinette’s room, so she could play with the puppets the blue-haired girl had created in her spare time.

* * *

 

Already on the rooftops, the team split itself into two, they tried to put as much distance between them and the Arc de Triomphe, while also making sure they avoided the prying eyes of people in the streets. As they did this, they realized that they would have to come up with a way to disappear after a fight, and they would have to practice it. Lord knew they would need it for when Hawk Moth attacked again. When they felt, they were already far enough, they split, each half going in opposite ways. This way, it would be harder for anyone to pinpoint where they went after leaving the square. But at that moment, Ladybug had something else on her mind, that was worrying her.    

“Oh, what if my mother has already checked on me, to see if I’m still sleeping and didn’t find me in my room?!” -Ladybug exclaimed, as she quickened her pace.

“Don’t think about that, right now. Just run as fast as you can!” -Volpina told her.

“This is our stop.” -Corbeau Noire signalled Flamingo. –“We’re going to check out some stores, and try to relax after all of this. See ya!”

“Okay, see ya, girls!” -Ladybug waved at them, as the girls dropped from the rooftop, disappearing from her sight.

“This is where I also leave you.” -Jade Turtle told her. –“I’ll see you later, girl of my dreams!” -he winked at Volpina, as he somersaulted to another rooftop, heading west.   

“See you later, Romeo.” –Volpina told him.

“I’ll be going too. now.” -Chat Noir said. –“Oh, and Ladybug, you were amazing during the interview.” -he winked at her, before using his staff and jumping to the other side of the street, making his way home.

“You heard what he said?! He said I was amazing!!!” -she squealed.

“I did, and you should look where you’re going!” -Volpina exclaimed, as she threw herself towards her friend, preventing her from going against a chimney. –“Keep your eyes open, girl. I can’t protect you all the time.” -she smiled.

“Sorry, it’s just that…”

“I know, I know, you’re head over heels for him, girl.” -Volpina chuckled.

* * *

As they went up the stairs, Manon kept telling Sabine just how much she liked about the new superheroes.

“I really like that one that looks like a flamingo. She looks really pretty, but then, I also like that one that looks like a spider, because he’s purple and purple’s my favourite colour… then, there’s that yellow one named Queen Bee, who looks really pretty too…”

“You really like them all, don’t you?” -Sabine asked her, as she tried not to drop the tray with the cookies.

“Yes, but I have one that I really like more than the others.” -Manon said, as they reached Marinette’s room door. –“I can’t wait to tell Marinette all about it! Maybe she can even do puppets of all of them.”

“That’s one possibility…” -Sabine said, as she was about to knock at the door, when Manon stopped her. –“What is it, sweetie?”

“You think Marinette is going to be able to eat all those cookies?”

“Of course, she will, sweetie.” -Sabine chuckled. –“You should have seen her when she was your age. If we let her alone in the kitchen for 10 minutes, she would eat a whole tray of freshly-baked cookies… oh, I forgot to bring her a glass of milk.”

“You want me to go get it?”

“No, sweetie. You wouldn’t be able to reach the cupboard where the glasses are. But you can come with me.” -Sabine said, as she placed the tray on the stairs.

* * *

Ladybug was three blocks from her house when she separated from Volpina, who told her they would talk later. Quickening the pace, she kept wondering if her mother had found out she was not at home. With each step she gave, her brain thought of all the kinds of excuses to give her, in case she was caught. Still, none of them sounded exactly good enough.

Somersaulting over a couple of chimneys, she finally saw the building where her parent’s boulangerie was. She was almost home. Making a dash for it, she jumped over one last building, and used her yo-yo to grapple itself onto the balcony’s railing. Pulling herself up she had reached her destination.

“ _Made it!_ ” -she thought to herself. _–“Now, let’s just hope mom hasn’t come to check on me._ ” -she thought, as she entered in her room through the glass trapdoor.

Already inside, she sighed in relief, after seeing that everything was just as she had left it. Her mom had not entered the room. But something told her that she could enter in it, at any moment, along with Manon, and they could not see her dressed like that. Returning to normal, she felt like all the energy she previously had had been sucked away from her body. She had felt like that before, after training, but this time it felt different. She was absolutely exhausted, like she had been on a fight that lasted hours, which was not a lie.

“Try and sit down, Marinette.” -Tikki told her, as Marinette landed on her chaise-longue.

“Ouch… Tikki, I feel so…”

“Tired? Yeah, that happens when you’ve been fighting this long. But don’t worry, your body will get used to it.” -Tikki smiled at her. –“I’m very proud of you, you know? You proved to be the warrior I knew you were, as well as the natural-born leader I told you would be.” -the kwami smiled.

“Thanks, I guess… I feel like I could sleep the rest of the weekend…” -Marinette told her, as she rubbed her sore elbow. –“Ouch, I got to practice my grappling to be smoother, or else, I’m going to need a new elbow…”

But as she was saying this, she was interrupted by a knocking at the door, and two familiar voices, her mother’s and Manon’s.

“Marinette, are you awake?” -Sabine asked her daughter.

“Marinette, I’ve got something to tell you!” -Manon’s voice was heard from behind the door.

“Tikki, hide!” -Marinette whispered, as the kwami hid behind her computer. –“I’m coming!” -she said.

Her whole body was in agony, but she could not utter a single wrd about it. For all intents and purposes, she had to look like she was feeling fresh as daisy and with her usual energy. Opening the door, she saw both her mom and Manon staring at her.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I wouldn’t mind having slept a couple of more minutes.” -she admitted, and that was very true. After battling Hawk Moth and his minions, not to mention Gargantua, she really would not mind having a couple of more minutes to sleep.  

“I brought you a little snack.”

“Thanks, but, what’s Manon doing here? Is that late?” -she asked, pretending not to know what was going on.

“My mommy went to interview the superheroes, Marinette!” -Manon exclaimed, as she and Sabine entered the room.

“Superheroes?” -Marinette faked her reaction.

“While you were asleep, something really amazing happened.” -Sabine told her daughter. –“But, I’ll let Manon tell you all about it. I already left your father alone behind the counter, long enough.” -she smiled, as she went down the stairs.

“So, what exactly happened while I was sleeping, Manon?” -Marinette asked the little girl, as she grabbed two cookies and the glass of milk. Moving closer to the computer, she waited for Manon to be distracted, to place the cookie near Tikki, who wasted no time eating it. After that battle, she needed to regain her strength. 

“Oh, Marinette, you should’ve seen it! A group of superheroes saved the day and fought an evil man and a monster!” -Manon told her. In her eyes, the blue-haired could see just how magical she thought all of that had seemed. If she had not been fighting for her life, she too would probably think the same thing. –“And my mom interviewed them all! Hurry, check it on the Internet! Come on!” -she said, as she begged Marinette to turn on the computer, so she too could see what had happened.

“Okay, Manon, okay.” -Marinette giggled, as she sat in front of the computer. She did not say it, but she was happy that doing that would mean she would not have to stand up. –“Let’s see. While we wait, let me ask you. These… superheroes… do you like them? Is there one you like more than the others?”

“Oh, I like them all, but my favourite one is the one who says she’s the leader.” -Manon told her.

“Really? What’s her name?” -Marinette asked her.

“Ladybug.” -Manon told her with a big smile. Hearing her say that, made all the pains she was feeling over her body to disappear, even if it was just for a couple of seconds.     


	24. Epilogue

The rest of the weekend went by without any further mishap. This made it easier for the new heroes of Paris to get some well-deserved rest. Still, they knew, that as they slept, they were the newest talking subject among everyone in Paris; and not only in Paris, but also in the rest of the world. All over the news and Internet, people questioned themselves on who the members of the Miraculous Team were, where they had come from and what would be their part in the coming future. While being interviews, Mayor Bourgeois had promised to make sure the heroes efforts to keep the city and its citizens safe would not go unnoticed, and that he had already talked the President, and thee were plans to present them with the Légion d'Honneur. Of course, not everyone was excited about the new heroes. Some, believed that they were dangerous and compared them to Hawk Moth, who was also talking subject. Many wondered what he really was. A magician? An illusionist? A terrorist with access to highly experimental and illegal bio-weapons? Whatever he was, people assumed the worst. The world had changed and it had happened in the blink of an eye.   

Still, even if the world had changed due to the appearance of both Hawk Moth and the Miraculous Team, it kept spinning, and that meant that on Monday it was a school day for Marinette and her friends. As they attended classes, they felt a little unfairness in their situation. They had saved the city, not to mention the world, but they could not tell anyone about it; and that also meant, that they had to maintain their daily routines, as if nothing had happened. Still, that did not stop them from celebrating their victory, in secret. During lunch hour, they stayed in their class room, where Marinette surprised her friends and their kwamis with a huge box of cookies shaped like the faces of every member of the Miraculous Team.

“Whoa! Those, look so good!” -Sabrina exclaimed.

“It’s us!” -Nathaniel said.

“I know that I usually bring macarons, but I talked about it with my parents, and they felt it was a cool idea.” -Marinette admitted, always smiling. –“They liked the idea so much that they are going to start to make them, once, every week for the customers.”

“And it’s a really good idea. They look delicious.” -Tikki told her, as she hovered over the cookie box.

“Oh, this smell so good!!! Let me have one! Let me! Let me!”  

“Hey, Plagg! I thought your only obsession was cheese, particularly Camembert.” -Adrien told him.

“A cat can have more than one obsession, okay? Now, please, let me have one!” -the cat kwami begged Marinette.

“Wait your turn, Plagg. Haven’t you ever heard that you should always serve the ladies first?” -Marinette told him. –“The first ones are going to our female kwamis. Here’s yours, Tikki.” -she said, as she handed one of the cookies to her kwami.

“Thank you, Marinette.” -Tikki thanked her, as Trixx, Pollen, Tamara and Pin waited their turn.  

“It’s not fair…” -Plagg kept grumbling to himself.

Once the kwamis were given each a cookie, the teenagers all grabbed a couple of them. As always, they were delicious. Max even joked that the day when one of the pastries or cookies from Marinette’s parents’ boulangerie tasted bad, it would the eve of the end of the world.

On another subject, Alya had good news to tell her friends, regarding her personal project, and she was eager to share them.  

“I finally decided what my blog will be about.” -Alya declared, as she ate another cookie; this one was shaped like Forest Doe’s face.

“Really? Then, what’s it going to be about?” -Marinette asked her best friend.

“Us.” -she answered. –“It’s going to be about us… or better yet, about our superhero selves. I had the idea after watching last night some news about all the webpages and blogs that have us as their main subject. And then, it hit me. What if I started a blog with facts from us. I would get pictures from us, interviews, and even videos from our battles or places that we’ve been spotted.”

“You mean, you’re going to cover our activities as superheroes?” Chloé asked her. –“And how do you plan on doing that? I mean, if you’re the only one running that blog and sharing all those things, people might start to wonder if you don’t have a connection to us… or even, that you are one of us.” -the blonde warned her. 

“Easy, I got this all figured out.” -Alya told her. –“I’m going to publish news about what we do, post a couple of photos, and, eventually, a few interviews, but I won’t be the only one to do it. I’ll ask people to send me things about us, and then, I’ll post them. Me, or any of the other moderators I chose to help me out. of course.”

“And who are those two moderators?” -Ivan asked her.

“I was thinking that maybe Max and Nino could be those moderators. That way, no one will even suspect that I’m a certain fox-themed superheroine.” -she said, looking at the boys, as she finished her cookie.  

“That actually might work.” -Alix told her, as she gave another cookie to Daria, who was already on its third one.

“I’m game.” -Max said. –“You can count me in.”

“Me too.” –Nino winked at her.

“Thanks, guys.” -Alya said, as she hugged them both.

“And what will the name of the blog be?” -Ari asked.

“I still haven’t decided yet.” -she admitted.

“Too bad it can’t be just about one of us, because if it was, I actually had an idea for a name… Ladyblog.” -Marinette joked.

“Well, if you were the only superheroine in this town, that would actually work.” -Alya told her. –“Unfortunately, that’s not an option.” -she chuckled.

“Why not, Miraculous Blog?” -Max suggested.

“Hey, that’s not half-bad.” -Alya said.

“I like it too.” -Muria said.

“It’s a fitting name.” -Pin said, as Mylene gave her another cookie.

While the rest of the class gave ideas for Alya’s blog, sating on the back row, were both Rose and Juleka. The girls had taken a couple of cookies with them, and were now talking about something that had happened during their fight against Gargantua… their kiss. None of them cared about it when it happened, but, over the course of the weekend, Rose, as well as Juleka, saw themselves thinking about it. They both tried to forget about it, but they just could not. So, they both decided to talk about it.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about that kiss we shared the other day.” -Rose said. –“ _That sweet and beautiful kiss._ ” -she thought to herself.

“Me too.” -Juleka said. –“ _It was the most beautiful and sweetest kiss in my life._ ” -she thought to herself.

The two girls were in love with each other, but they did not know that.

“And… it was a funny scene, wasn’t it?” -Rose asked her.

“Yeah, it was. It was the heat of the moment.” -Juleka said.

Both Rose and Juleka wanted to tell the other just how much that kiss had really meant to them. But, they did not have the courage to do it. Thinking that the other might not reciprocate the same kind of feelings, and that such words would damage, and most likely destroy the beautiful friendship they had, unknowingly, they decided not to tell what they really felt for one another.

“Definitely, the heat of the moment.” -Rose said. –“ _I’d rather not tell you what I really feel for you, if that means I won’t lose your friendship, Juleka._ ”  

“It will be one of those things we’ll laugh about for a very long time.” -Juleka smiled. –“ _Our friendship is too important for me to lose it… forgive me for not telling you the truth, Rose, but, it’s best this way._ ” -she thought to herself.

Though the two were smiling on the outside, inside, they were both in pain, and crying. Still, their friendship meant the world to them, and neither Rose, nor Juleka felt prepared to admit their true feelings, and risk that same friendship. Watching it from a few rows away, were both Flint and Tamara, Rose and Juleka’s respective kwamis.  

“Shouldn’t we tell them?” -Flint asked Tamara.

“No.” -Tamara told him, as she nibbled the cookie Marinette had given her.

“But why not?! I mean, anyone can see that those two are made for one another! Don’t tell me you don’t want Juleka to be happy?!” -he exclaimed to her.

“Of course, I do. Just as much as you want Rose to be happy. And yes, anyone can see it, except them…” -Tamara declared with a calm and serene voice –“… and they need to find that out by themselves.”

“But… wouldn’t it be better if we just went up to them and tell them everything? That would save us a lot of trouble… not to mention, a lot of therapy and a lot of chat, because I know that sooner or later, I’m going to have to hear her out saying that she loves her and that she’s too afraid to tell her the truth about it, and then I won’t be able to say that I know she loves her, and…” -Flint went on, when the raven kwami placed her hand over his mouth to shut him up.

“And will that be a bad thing?”

“No…”

“Give her time, like I will give Juleka. It isn’t the first time our holders fall in love with one another, although, this is definitely the first time they were already in love with one another, before we showed up in their lives.” -Tamara said.

“Yeah. There’s a first time for everything.” -Flint admitted.

“A first time for what?” -a voice was heard. It was Mika, who was gulping down another cookie, as he approached Flint and Tamara.

“None of your beeswax, howling wolf!” -Flint shot at him.

“Ouch, touchy, but you got me confused with Pollen, you know?! A kwami can’t even eavesdrop on anyone, anymore.” –Mika told him.

“Mika! You want another one?” -Sabrina waved him another cookie, as she handed one to Chloé and one to Pollen.

“You read my mind, kiddo!” -Mika exclaimed, as he tried not to drool over that cookie. –“Sorry to go, but I got a date with another cookie.” -he joked.   

As the whole class enjoyed the treat Marinette had brought them for dessert, the blue-haired girl herself had her thoughts way up in the clouds, along with the rest of her being. She was daydreaming about Adrien, and how it would be, if she would invite him to go out, or, preferably, he would ask her out. Seeing her like that, Alya smirked and sat next to her, saying:

“Are you going to ask him, or what, girl?”

“Ask who, what?” -Marinette asked her, as she snapped back to reality.

“Oh, come on, Marinette, you’re with that same look in your eyes, when you’re thinking about Adrien… so go on! Go ask him out.” -Alya told her friend.

“I can’t…” -Marinette told her.

“Of course, you can, Marinette.” -Tikki said, as she landed on her left shoulder.

“Tikki’s right.” -Trixx agreed.

“See? Even our kwamis are telling you the same thing I am. Come on, don’t tell me you can go up against a murderous psychopath and his creations without breaking a sweat, but you can’t muster the courage to ask the boy you love on a date?” -Alya asked her.

“That’s different. When I went up against Hawk Moth I was Ladybug, not plain old Marinette.” -she sighed.

“Girl, when are you going to accept the fact that the only thing different between you and your superhero form, is a suit and a mask?” -Alya asked her. –“You are Ladybug, whether you’re wearing the costume or not. The courage you have when you’re wearing it, is still there, when you’re not wearing it.”

“I know, I know… but no matter how many times I say it, I still can’t use that courage to ask Adrien out.” -Marinette sighed.

“Then, why don’t you imagine yourself as Ladybug, and him as Chat Noir? That might work.” -Tikki suggested to her.

The idea itself was not half-bad. When the two of them were transformed, she had no trouble in telling him what she was really thinking. She pictured herself as Ladybug and Adrien as Chat Noir, and immediately, she felt a surge of courage running through her. But, as soon as she looked at Adrien, those thoughts obliviated themselves form her mind, and she saw herself scared and nervous about asking him out.

“I can’t… even doing that, I just can’t.” -she sighed in defeat.     

“Fine, if you don’t do it, I’ll go ask him for you.” –Tikki said, as she shot herself out of there, heading in Adrien’s direction. She was not going to sit there and see Marinette suffer another second.

“Tikki!!! No!!!” -Marinette said, as she instantly placed her hands over her head, with her eyes wide-open. –“ _Crazy kwami! I got to stop her!_ ” -she thought to herself.

Dashing through the air, Tikki made her way to Adrien, who was talking to Kim and Nino. Stopping in front of his nose, the ittle scarlet kwami waved at him and said:

“Hey, Adrien.”

“Yes, Tikki?” -he asked the little kwami.

“You know, Marinette was thinking…” -Tikki said, when Marinette caught her and held her between her hands, muffling her.

“Sorry…” -Marinette said, as she tried her best to keep Tikki from talking.

“It’s okay. She was saying that you were thinking about something.” -Adrien told her.

“No, I wasn’t!” -she quickly shot at him, while giving him the most ridiculous and silliest smile one could make.

“Oh, okay, then.” -Adrien smiled.

“Actually… I was really… thinking…” -Marinette said.

“Yes?” -Adrien asked her.

“I was thinking… that if you… you know… would like to go out sometime?” -Marinette asked him, almost in a whisper.

“Is this your way to ask me on a date?” -Adrien asked her, curious, as both Kim and Nino chuckled.

“No!!!” -she practically yelled. –“I mean… yes.” -she said, this time with a softer voice, almost like a whisper.  

“Well…” -Adrien said, speechless.

“Of course, if you don’t want to… I’ll totally understand…” -Marinette said, with a gloomy voice. She was convinced that Adrien was not interested in going out with her.

“Actually… I’m free on Friday.” -Adrien told her.

When he said that, Marinette almost jumped out of joy. Turning around, she looked him in the eyes, and said:

“You mean it?!”

“Y-Yeah. There’s this movie I’ve been wanting to watch… unless, of course, you want to do something else?” -Adrien told her.

“No, no, no!” -Marinette said. –“ _Like a true gentleman, he asked me if I wanted to do something else instead… if this is a dream, don’t wake me up, please!_ ” -she thought to herself. –“A movie sounds okay.”

“Can me and Alya tag along, you two?” -Nino asked, as he placed his arm around Adrien’s shoulders. Before the blond could say anything, he whispered to his ear. –“Trust me, you’ll thank me and Alya for this.”

“Uh, sure, I guess.” -Adrien said.

“What are you guys talking about?” -Alya asked, as she closed in on them.

“I was asking Adrien if we could go to the movies with him and Marinette. You know, as a double date?”

“That sounds like a great idea.” -Alya said, as she looked at Nino with a “I know what you did there. Nice work” look.

“Then, it’s settled. Friday, we’re going to the movies, the four of us.”

“Four?! Then, what about us?” -Plagg asked out loud. –“Don’t tell me you’re going to the movies without us?!”

“Yeah, you’re not going to leave us home, are you?”

“Now, now, there’s no need for us to go with them.” -Wayzz told them. –“We can use that time to regain our strength.”

“Speak for yourself, Wayzz!” -Plagg told him. –“After Adrien addicted me to action movies, I really want to go and watch a movie, while eating Camembert covered popcorn.”

“Ew! That’s disgusting!” -Tikki told him.

“I don’t mind if you guys come along.” -Marinette said. It would not be a romantic date like she wanted, but it would better than nothing. Besides, she would still be with Adrien.

“Ha! Adrien, you got a really great girl here!” -Plagg exclaimed.

“Don’t say that, you’re making me blush!” -Marinette told the cat kwami, as she tried to mask the fact her cheeks were getting pinker by the minute.

“Then, it’s settled, we’re taking you guys with us to the movies.” -Alya asserted.

“Cool!” -Plagg and Trixx exclaimed.

“Hey! We want to go too!” -Muria said.

“Yeah! I want to check out one of these cinemas I’ve read about on the Internet.” -Imp declared.

Soon, all of the kwamis, including the shiest ones like Pin and Tamara, were all asking to take them as well. In the end, Adrien felt that it would be best if the whole gang just went to the movies together on Friday, along with the kwamis. Marinette, of course, smiled. She wanted to be alone with Adrien on a date, but she also understood why he suggested they did that. The kwamis had also saved the city, by giving them the power to stop Hawk Moth, so it was only fair for them to take the kwamis to do something fun to celebrate. Still, deep in her heart, she knew that one of those days, she would have the chance to go to a movie with Adrien, just the two of them… after all, now that she had found the courage to ask him out, a little thanks to Tikki, it was only a matter of using that same courage to do it again. Thinking about it, she giggled.

* * *

But, while the Miraculous Team celebrated their victory, below the surface, in Hawk Moth’s lair, celebration was the last thing any of those who was inside thought about. Instead, they thought about how Gargantua was beaten by a group of kids, and how a plan which seemed perfect, went down the drain. Hawk Moth had locked himself in his private chamber and had not come out since then. A good thing too, because both Reptile and Madame Romani felt that if he saw any of them right then, he would gladly turn them into cockroaches and crush them into a pulp. Still, they knew that Hawk Moth would not come out of his chambers until his anger wore off. And that was going to take a while to happen.

“Curse those kids…” -Reptile thought to himself, as he sharpened his weapon with a whetstone. –“I still don’t get why the master didn’t let us take care of those infernal kids.” -he told Madame Romani, who was looking at the fishes swimming in the pool.

“You heard what the master told us. He gave us an order and we did what we had to do… we obeyed him.”

“Still… I could have gone down there and gut them all with my knife!” -Reptile practically snarled at her. –“He just had to give me a chance to get rid of them! I would have brought their still-beating hearts inside a bag to show him, and he knew it!”

“That isn’t the point! We do what the master tells us to, and we don’t argue about it!” -Madame Romani exclaimed.   

“Oh, come on! Don’t tell me you didn’t want to go down there and rip them to pieces?! I know you did! I could see it in your eyes!” -Reptile shot at her. –“And you know what? Next time, I don’t care what the master orders, I’ll go and kill them, just for the sake of it!”

“Remember your place, lizard man! Remember that if it was not for Hawk Moth, we would not have a purpose, and worst yet, we would not have the power to accomplish the goals that our master told us we could, when the time comes.” -Madame Romani reminded him.

“And when do you think that will be? Tomorrow? After tomorrow? 10 years from now?!”

“It will be when the time is right! But one thing I tell you… first, we have to kill those damn kids!” -she exclaimed, as she conjured a fire ball and in a fit of rage, threw it into the swimming pool, making the water in it boil instantaneously, cooking all the fishes inside, which then raised to the surface and stood there. –“ _Damn it! I need to control my temper._ ” -she thought to herself.

“Whatever… but you’re right. Those kids have to die, and quickly.” -Reptile said. –“Phew, what stench!! Get rid of all those fishes somehow, before we have every cat in Paris in here, looking for a free meal!”

As this happened, inside his chamber, Hawk Moth was seated on his armchair, just staring at his Akuma butterflies. Only this time, while staring at them, he did not feel pride and joy about them. Instead, he felt anger and rage. He had been defeated by a bunch of kids, he, the great and powerful Hawk Moth. But, he blamed himself for it. He misjudged them, and worst, he underestimated them.  

“ _Those kids… they are far more powerful than I had thought._ ” -he thought to himself. –“ _I never thought that they would have that kind of power in them, especially, when thinking that they got their miraculouses just a short while ago. Still, I will never underestimate them again._ ”

Standing up, he approached the glass and contemplated the Akuma butterflies once more.

“I will become the master of this world, and prove that this world belongs to the strongest of all… but first, it seems like I’ll have to get rid of those infernal kids.” -he said. –“I don’t care how many of you I’ll have to use, my pretties, but I will not rest until that Miraculous Team becomes a footnote in the History books, their miraculouses destroyed, and their corpses skinned and their bones used to build me a throne. Mark my words, Miraculous Team, I won’t rest until you are dead!!!” -he exclaimed, as he began to laugh maniacally.             

 

The End… for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's the end of the origins story. Expect to read more about the Miraculous Team, on the next story "Miraculous Team: Haute Couture".
> 
> Before anyone asks, I don't know when the next story will start being uploaded. I might start a new job in the next few weeks, and if so, I'm going to be a lot busy and that means, less time to write. But don't worry, I'll try to write it as fast as I can. Like I told a couple of people, I already have a couple of sequels storyboarded, so I know what I'm going to write, I just need to find the time to do it.


End file.
